Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Payback of Solar Photovoltaic Systems and a Case Study

Peishi Wu; Xiaoming Ma; Junping Ji; Yunrong Ma

doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.281

Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Payback of Solar Photovoltaic Systems and a Case Study

Peishi Wu^*
, Xiaoming Ma
, Junping Ji
, Yunrong Ma

^*Corresponding author for this work

Peking University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the environmental performance of the multi-crystalline (multi-Si) photovoltaic installations by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a typical 1-Megawatt on-grid ground-mounted solar power station in China. An energy payback time calculation will be presented with some further suggestions. After a thorough study of the LCA of solar power station, the boundary of the goal is clearly presented, making it feasible to study the total input and the annual output of the system. Specifically speaking, the total energy input, including the energy input of the module manufacturing and the energy input of balance of system (BOS) is 19.5548 x10⁶ MJ, while the annual energy output is calculated to be 8.328 x 10⁶ MJ. Thus the energy payback time (EPBT) is 2.3 years, revealing the conclusion that the establishment of the solar power station would contribute to a clean usage for more than 27 years, given the assumption of a 30-year operation period. Therefore, the solar power station is much more environmental friendly compared to the traditional fossil fuel systems.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	68-74
Number of pages	7
Journal	Energy Procedia
Volume	105
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.281
State	Published - 2017
Externally published	Yes
Event	8th International Conference on Applied Energy, ICAE 2016 - Beijing, China Duration: 8 Oct 2016 → 11 Oct 2016

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Keywords

Energy payback time
Life cyle assessment
Multi-Si
Photovoltaic system

Access to Document

10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.281

Cite this

@article{39cdf6d453bd4896bd448790c1796483,

title = "Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Payback of Solar Photovoltaic Systems and a Case Study",

abstract = "This paper aims to examine the environmental performance of the multi-crystalline (multi-Si) photovoltaic installations by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a typical 1-Megawatt on-grid ground-mounted solar power station in China. An energy payback time calculation will be presented with some further suggestions. After a thorough study of the LCA of solar power station, the boundary of the goal is clearly presented, making it feasible to study the total input and the annual output of the system. Specifically speaking, the total energy input, including the energy input of the module manufacturing and the energy input of balance of system (BOS) is 19.5548 x106 MJ, while the annual energy output is calculated to be 8.328 x 106 MJ. Thus the energy payback time (EPBT) is 2.3 years, revealing the conclusion that the establishment of the solar power station would contribute to a clean usage for more than 27 years, given the assumption of a 30-year operation period. Therefore, the solar power station is much more environmental friendly compared to the traditional fossil fuel systems.",

keywords = "Energy payback time, Life cyle assessment, Multi-Si, Photovoltaic system",

author = "Peishi Wu and Xiaoming Ma and Junping Ji and Yunrong Ma",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Authors.; 8th International Conference on Applied Energy, ICAE 2016 ; Conference date: 08-10-2016 Through 11-10-2016",

year = "2017",

doi = "10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.281",

language = "英语",

volume = "105",

pages = "68--74",

journal = "Energy Procedia",

issn = "1876-6102",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Payback of Solar Photovoltaic Systems and a Case Study

AU - Wu, Peishi

AU - Ma, Xiaoming

AU - Ji, Junping

AU - Ma, Yunrong

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - This paper aims to examine the environmental performance of the multi-crystalline (multi-Si) photovoltaic installations by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a typical 1-Megawatt on-grid ground-mounted solar power station in China. An energy payback time calculation will be presented with some further suggestions. After a thorough study of the LCA of solar power station, the boundary of the goal is clearly presented, making it feasible to study the total input and the annual output of the system. Specifically speaking, the total energy input, including the energy input of the module manufacturing and the energy input of balance of system (BOS) is 19.5548 x106 MJ, while the annual energy output is calculated to be 8.328 x 106 MJ. Thus the energy payback time (EPBT) is 2.3 years, revealing the conclusion that the establishment of the solar power station would contribute to a clean usage for more than 27 years, given the assumption of a 30-year operation period. Therefore, the solar power station is much more environmental friendly compared to the traditional fossil fuel systems.

AB - This paper aims to examine the environmental performance of the multi-crystalline (multi-Si) photovoltaic installations by conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a typical 1-Megawatt on-grid ground-mounted solar power station in China. An energy payback time calculation will be presented with some further suggestions. After a thorough study of the LCA of solar power station, the boundary of the goal is clearly presented, making it feasible to study the total input and the annual output of the system. Specifically speaking, the total energy input, including the energy input of the module manufacturing and the energy input of balance of system (BOS) is 19.5548 x106 MJ, while the annual energy output is calculated to be 8.328 x 106 MJ. Thus the energy payback time (EPBT) is 2.3 years, revealing the conclusion that the establishment of the solar power station would contribute to a clean usage for more than 27 years, given the assumption of a 30-year operation period. Therefore, the solar power station is much more environmental friendly compared to the traditional fossil fuel systems.

KW - Energy payback time

KW - Life cyle assessment

KW - Multi-Si

KW - Photovoltaic system

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85020753187

U2 - 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.281

DO - 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.281

M3 - 会议文章

AN - SCOPUS:85020753187

SN - 1876-6102

VL - 105

SP - 68

EP - 74

JO - Energy Procedia

JF - Energy Procedia

T2 - 8th International Conference on Applied Energy, ICAE 2016

Y2 - 8 October 2016 through 11 October 2016

ER -

Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Payback of Solar Photovoltaic Systems and a Case Study

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this