Studies

We collect studies on the topics of Life Cycle Analysis and Technology around thin-film PV-development.

Life Cycle Analysis

PV Sustainability Activities – ALL REPORTS

International Environment Agency's Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme

Expert input paper – eco-design & energy labelling for photovoltaic modules, inverters and systems in the EU
ETIP PV, SolarPower Europe, PVthin, European Solar Manufacturing Council, IECRE

February 2021

Green Energy Choices: The benefits, risks and trade-offs of low-carbon technologies for electricity production
E. G. Hertwich, J. Aloisi de Larderel, A. Arvesen, P. Bayer, J. Bergesen, E. Bouman, T. Gibon, G. Heath, C. Peña, P. Purohit, A. Ramirez, S. Suh

Report of the International Resource Panel. UNEP 2016.

PEF screening report of electricity from photovoltaic panels in the context of the EU Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) Pilots
Philippe Stolz, Rolf Frischknecht, Franziska Wyss, Mariska de Wild-Scholten

24 April 2016 - Version 2.0

Methodology Guidelines on Life Cycle Assessment of Photovoltaic Electricity
R. Frischknecht, G. Heath, M. Raugei, P. Sinha, M. de Wild-Scholten, V. Fthenakis, H. C. Kim, E. Alsema and M. Held

3rd edition, IEA PVPS Task 12, International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme. Report IEA-PVPS T12-06:2016, ISBN 978-3-906042-38-1.

Energy payback time (EPBT) and energy return on energy invested (EROI) of solar photovoltaic systems: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Khagendra P. Bhandari, Jennifer M. Collier, Randy J. Ellingson, Defne S. Apul

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 47, 2015

Life Cycle Assessment of Future Photovoltaic Electricity Production from Residential-Scale Systems Operated in Europe
R. Frischknecht, R. Itten, F. Wyss, I. Blanc, G. Heath, M. Raugei, P. Sinha, A. Wade

Subtask 2.0 "LCA", IEA-PVPS Task 12. 2015.

Life Cycle Inventories and Life Cycle Assessments of Photovoltaic Systems
R. Frischknecht, R. Itten, P. Sinha, M. de Wild-Scholten, J. Zhang, V. Fthenakis, H. C. Kim, M. Raugei, M. Stucki

International Energy Agency (IEA) PVPS Task 12. Report T12-04:2015.

Integrated life-cycle assessment of electricity-supply scenarios confirms global environmental benefit of low-carbon technologies
Hertwich et al.

PNAS, 2014

Energy Payback Time and Carbon Footprint of Commercial Photovoltaic Systems
M. de Wildscholten

Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, Vol. 119, 2013.

Technology

Sustainability evaluation of CdTe PV: An update
Fthenakis, Vasilis, Clement Athias, Alyssa Blumenthal, Aylin Kulur, Julia Magliozzo, and David Ng

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 123 (2020): 109776.

Economically Sustainable Growth of Perovskite Photovoltaics Manufacturing
Mathews, Ian, Sarah Sofia, Erica Ma, Joel Jean, Hannu S. Laine, Sin Cheng Siah, Tonio Buonassisi, and Ian Marius Peters

Joule, Vol. 4 Issue 4, 2020.

CIGS Thin Film Solar Cell Technology

White Paper. Updated 2019.

The Economic Potential of Thin Film Solar Photovoltaic Technologies in Germany
A DIW Econ study commissioned by PVthin

Final report, 29. January 2019.

Economic viability of thin-film tandem solar modules in the United States
Sofia, Sarah E., Jonathan P. Mailoa, Dirk N. Weiss, Billy J. Stanbery, Tonio Buonassisi, and I. Marius Peters

Nature Energy 3, 2018.

Energy Payback Time (EPBT) and Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROI) of Perovskite Tandem Photovoltaic Cells
Celik, Ilke, Adam B. Phillips, Song Zhaoning, Yanfa Yan, Randy J. Ellingson, Michael J. Heben, and Defne S. Apul

IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 8, No. 1, Jan. 2018.

Geospatial Analysis of the Energy Yield and Environmental Footprint of Different Photovoltaic Module Technologies
Louwen, Atse, Ruud E. I. Schropp, Wilfried G. J. H. M. van Sark, and André P. C. Faaij

Solar Energy 155 (Oktober 2017): 1339-53.

Techno-economic analysis of tandem photovoltaic systems
Peters, I. M., S. Sofia, J. Mailoa, and T. Buonassisi

RSC Advances 6, Nr. 71 (2016): 66911-23.

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets
Needleman, David Berney, Jeremy R. Poindexter, Rachel C. Kurchin, I. Marius Peters, Gregory Wilson, and Tonio Buonassisi

Energy Environ. Sci. 9, Nr. 6 (2016): 2122-29.

Commercial progress and challenges for photovoltaics
M. Green

Nature Energy 1, 2016.

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