| Title | Dynamic material flow analysis of silicon photovoltaic modules to support a circular economy transition |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 4471 |
| Authors | Khalifa, SA; Mastrorocco, BV; Au, DD; Ovaitt, S; Barnes, TM; Carpenter, AC; Baxter, JB |
| Title | Dynamic material flow analysis of silicon photovoltaic modules to support a circular economy transition |
| Year | 2022 |
| Published | Progress In Photovoltaics, 30, 7 |
| 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. |
Similar Articles
| ID | Score | Article |
|---|---|---|
25848
|
Khalifa, SA; Mastrorocco, BV; Au, DD; Barnes, TM; Carpenter, AC; Baxter, JB A Circularity Assessment for Silicon Solar Panels Based on Dynamic Material Flow Analysis(2021) | |
| 33642
|
Song, GH; Lu, YJ; Liu, B; Duan, HB; Feng, HB; Liu, G Photovoltaic panel waste assessment and embodied material flows in China, 2000-2050(2023) | |
| 5018
|
Contreras-Lisperguer, R; Muñoz-Cerón, E; Aguilera, J; de la Casa, J A set of principles for applying Circular Economy to the PV industry: Modeling a closed-loop material cycle system for crystalline photovoltaic panels(2021) | |
| 4907
|
Mirletz, H; Ovaitt, S; Sridhar, S; Barnes, TM Circular economy priorities for photovoltaics in the energy transition(2022)Plos One, 17, 9 | |
| 1620
|
Ovaitt, S; Mirletz, HM; Hegedus, A; Gaulding, A; Barnes, T PV Evolution in the light of Circular Economy(2021) | |
| 1889
|
Mirletz, H; Ovaitt, S; Sridhar, S; Barnes, TM Prioritizing circular economy strategies for sustainable PV deployment at the TW scale(2024) | |
| 25467
|
Mirletz, HM; Ovaitt, S; Ribo, MM; Sridhar, S; Barnes, TM Measuring Sustainability of PV in Energy Transition: Mass, Energy, and Circularity(2023) | |
| 5199
|
Thomassen, G; Dewulf, J; Van Passel, S Prospective material and substance flow analysis of the end-of-life phase of crystalline silicon-based PV modules(2022) | |
| 11128
|
Bartie, N; Cobos-Becerra, L; Fröhling, M; Reuter, MA; Schlatmann, R Process simulation and digitalization for comprehensive life-cycle sustainability assessment of Silicon photovoltaic systems(2021) | |
| 22568
|
Lisperguer, RC; Cerón, EM; Higueras, JD; Martín, RD Environmental Impact Assessment of crystalline solar photovoltaic panels' End-of-Life phase: Open and Closed-Loop Material Flow scenarios(2020) |