Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic Panels

Vincenzo Muteri, Maurizio Cellura, Domenico Curto, Vincenzo Franzitta, Sonia Longo, Marina Mistretta and Maria Laura Parisi
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Vincenzo Muteri: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Maurizio Cellura: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Domenico Curto: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Vincenzo Franzitta: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Sonia Longo: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Marina Mistretta: Department of Heritage, Architecture, Urbanism (PAU)-University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Maria Laura Parisi: R2ES Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-38

Abstract: The photovoltaic (PV) sector has undergone both major expansion and evolution over the last decades, and currently, the technologies already marketed or still in the laboratory/research phase are numerous and very different. Likewise, in order to assess the energy and environmental impacts of these devices, life cycle assessment (LCA) studies related to these systems are always increasing. The objective of this paper is to summarize and update the current literature of LCA applied to different types of grid-connected PV, as well as to critically analyze the results related to energy and environmental impacts generated during the life cycle of PV technologies, from 1st generation (traditional silicon based) up to the third generation (innovative non-silicon based). Most of the results regarded energy indices like energy payback time, cumulative energy demand, and primary energy demand, while environmental indices were variable based on different scopes and impact assessment methods. Moreover, the review work allowed to highlight and compare key parameters (PV type and system, geographical location, efficiency), methodological insights (functional unit, system boundaries, etc.), and energy/environmental hotspots of 39 LCA studies relating to different PV systems, in order to underline the importance of these aspects, and to provide information and a basis of comparison for future analyses.

Keywords: literature review; life cycle assessment (LCA); photovoltaic system (PV); environmental impacts; energy impacts; PV generations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (39)

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