Journal article
Dynamic material flow analysis of silicon photovoltaic modules to support a circular economy transition
Progress in photovoltaics, v 30(7), pp 784-805
28 Mar 2022
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Solar photovoltaics (PV) are the fastest growing renewable energy technologies for dean, cheap, and sustainable electricity generation. To prepare for rapid scale-up, the PV industry needs to project material requirements to build out all aspects of the supply chain appropriately and plan to handle large volumes of module waste. Impacts of deploying different material circularity strategies to reduce waste and conserve primary resources need to be quantified to inform sustainable material management. Here, we introduce the photovoltaic dynamic material flow analysis (PV DMFA) model based on PV electricity generation. The model quantifies material flows and stocks in the cradle-to-cradle life cycles of utility-scale c-Si PV systems in the United States through 2100. We present case studies for solar flat glass and aluminum frame materials under various scenarios to project the impacts of PV performance, reliability, and processing parameters, material circularity strategies, and module design shifts. In the absence of circularity measures, similar to 100 million MT of flat glass and similar to 12 million MT of aluminum would be needed for PV installations by 2100 to meet projected growth in domestic utility PV demand to nearly 1000 TWh in 2100. With optimistic but feasible improvements in efficiency, reliability, and circularity, material intensity and waste could be reduced by nearly 50%. Efficient module collection, minimally intrusive recycling, and careful scrap handling and cleaning could improve material circularity in the PV value chain. This model serves as a sustainability data support tool that may aid in the circular economy transition for PV systems.
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Details
- Title
- Dynamic material flow analysis of silicon photovoltaic modules to support a circular economy transition
- Creators
- Sherif A. Khalifa - Drexel UniversityBenjamin Mastrorocco - Drexel UniversityDylan D. Au - Drexel UniversitySilvana Ovaitt - Natl Renewable Energy Lab, Golden, CO 80401 USATeresa M. Barnes - National Renewable Energy LaboratoryAlberta C. Carpenter - National Renewable Energy LaboratoryJason B. Baxter - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Progress in photovoltaics, v 30(7), pp 784-805
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 22
- Grant note
- SUB-2020-10029; DE-AC36-08GO28308 / Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000773739200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85127241855
- Other Identifier
- 991019168394104721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Energy & Fuels
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
- Physics, Applied