Comparative Life-cycle Analysis of Photovoltaics Based on Nano-materials: A Proposed Framework
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1041-R01-04
Comparative Life-cycle Analysis of Photovoltaics Based on Nano-materials: A Proposed Framework V. Fthenakis1,2, S. Gualtero1, R. van der Meulen1, and H. C. Kim2 1 Center for Life Cycle Analysis, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027 2 PV Environmental Research Cener, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973 ABSTRACT Life cycle analysis is especially important for characterizing novel forms of material in new energy-generation technologies that are intended to replace or improve the current infrastructure of energy production. We propose a comparative life-cycle analysis framework for investigating the effect of incorporating nanotechnology in the life cycle of new photovoltaics, focusing on the differences between the new technologies and the ones that they may replace. Within this framework, we investigate the following parameters: Methods of synthesizing nanoparticles, physicochemical specifications of the precursors, material-utilization rates, deposition rates, energy-conversion efficiencies, and lifetime expectancy of the final product. We introduce the application of this framework by comparing nanostructured cadmium telluride and silicon films with their nano- and amorphous-structured equivalents. 1. INTRODUCTION Research is rapidly expanding in academia and industry on synthesizing nanoparticle precursors and fabricating nanostructured solar cells from them. The drivers for this research include the quest for reducing losses due to photon reflection, increasing photon-to-electron conversion-efficiencies, lowering the costs of manufacturing, and enabling easier and cheaper applications/installations. While nanotechnology may meet one or more of these objectives, there is a dearth of knowledge about the environmental implications of using nanomaterials. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) provides a framework for studying them. LCA is widely used to evaluate the environmental impacts from extracting and processing raw materials, and from manufacturing, using, and disposing of the end-of-life of products. This type of analysis is needed especially for characterizing material forms in promising energy-generation technologies intended to replace or improve the current energy-production infrastructure. The goal of this study is to examine the energy- and material-requirements and emissions in the life cycles of representative nanotechnology applications in solar-energy conversion, and compare them with the material- and energy- flows in the technologies that they may replace. 2. METHODOLOGY We describe a life-cycle analysis framework that will allow us to compare the environmental impacts of nanomaterials and bulk materials during the production of photovoltaics (PVs). We will investigate the following parameters that distinguish nanotechnology from conventional technology: 1) Methods of synthesizing the nanoparticles; 2) physical specifications of the precursors; 3) material utilization rate/process efficiency; 4) deposition processes and parameters (deposition rate, temperature, pressure); 5) energ
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