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Application of life‐cycle energy analysis to photovoltaic module design
Author(s) -
Keoleian Gregory A.,
Lewis Geoffrey McD.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-159x(199707/08)5:4<287::aid-pip169>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - photovoltaic system , life cycle assessment , embodied energy , electricity generation , electricity , photovoltaics , environmental economics , efficient energy use , engineering , reliability engineering , environmental science , process engineering , computer science , automotive engineering , production (economics) , electrical engineering , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , economics , macroeconomics , thermodynamics
This paper highlights results from a collaborative life‐cycle design project between the University of Michigan, the US Environment Protection Agency and United Solar Systems Corporation. Energy analysis is a critical planning and design tool for photovoltaic (PV) modules. A set of model equations for evaluating the life‐cycle energy performance of PV systems and other electricity‐generating systems are presented. The total PV life‐cycle, encompassing material production, manufacturing and assembly, use and end‐of‐life management, was investigated. Three metrics—energy payback time, electricity production efficiency and life‐cycle conversion efficiency—were defined for PV modules with and without balance‐of‐system (BOS) components. These metrics were evaluated for a United Solar UPM‐880 amorphous silicon PV module based on average insolation in Detroit, Boulder and Phoenix. Based on these metrics, a minimum condition for assessing the sustainability of electricity‐generating systems was proposed and discussed. The life‐cycle energy analysis indicated that the aluminum frame is responsible for a significant fraction of the energy invested in the UPM‐880 module. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.