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Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Life Cycle of CdTe Photovoltaics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Vasilis Fthenakis  and
Hyung Chul Kim
Vasilis Fthenakis
Affiliation:
fthenaki@bnl.gov, Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Photovoltaic Environmental Research Center, United States
Hyung Chul Kim
Affiliation:
hckim@bnl.gov, Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Photovoltaic Environmental Research Center
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Abstract

The life cycle of the thin film CdTe PV modules in the U.S. have been investigated based on materials and energy inventories for a commercial 25 MW/yr production plant. The energy payback times (EPBT) of these modules are 0.75 years and the GHG emissions are 18 gCO2-eq/kWh for average U.S. solar irradiation conditions. Adding the impact of an optimized ground-level balance of system (BOS), result in a total EPBT of 1.2 years and total life-cycle GHG emissions of 24 gCO2-eq/kWh.

Keywords

photovoltaicenvironmentally benignenvironmentally protective
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 895: Symposium G – Life-Cycle Analysis Tools for “Green” Materials and Process Selection , 2005 , 0895-G03-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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References

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