SHORT COMMUNICATION: ACCELERATED PUBLICATION: Broader Perspectives

You have free access to this content

Photovoltaics energy payback times, greenhouse gas emissions and external costs: 2004–early 2005 status

  1. Vasilis Fthenakis1,*,
  2. Erik Alsema2

Article first published online: 29 MAR 2006

DOI: 10.1002/pip.706

Issue

Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

Volume 14, Issue 3, pages 275–280, May 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Fthenakis, V. and Alsema, E. (2006), Photovoltaics energy payback times, greenhouse gas emissions and external costs: 2004–early 2005 status. Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl., 14: 275–280. doi: 10.1002/pip.706

Author Information

  1. 1

    PV Environmental Research Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA

  2. 2

    Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development and Innovation, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

*PV Environmental Research Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, USA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 29 MAR 2006
  2. Article first published online: 29 MAR 2006
  3. Manuscript Revised: 30 JAN 2006
  4. Manuscript Received: 29 DEC 2005

Funded by

  • European Commission. Grant Number: SES6-CT_2003-502583

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (169K)

REFERENCES

  • 1
    European Commission, Directorate-General for Research. 2003. External costs. Research results on socio-environmental damages due to electricity and transport. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, 92-894-3353-1, EUR 20198. http://www.externe.info
  • 2
    Australian Coal Industry Association Research Program, ACARP. Coal in a sustainable Society. 2004.
  • 3
    De Wild-Scholten M, Alsema E. Environmental life cycle inventory of crystalline silicon photovoltaic module production. Material Research Society Fall Meeting, Symposium G: Life Cycle Analysis Tools for “Green” Materials and Process Selection, Paper G3.4, Nov. 2005, Boston, MS. http://www.ecn.nl/library/reports/2006/c06005.html
  • 4
    Alsema E, De Wild-Scholten M. Environmental impact of crystalline silicon photovoltaic module production. Material Research Society Fall Meeting, Symposium G: Life Cycle Analysis Tools for “Green” Materials and Process Selection, Paper G3.3, Nov. 2005, Boston, MS. http://www.ecn.nl/library/reports/2006/c060010.html
  • 5
    Mason J, Fthenakis VM, Hansen T, Kim C. Energy pay-back and life cycle CO2 Emissions of the BOS in an optimized 3.5 MW PV installation. Progress in Photovoltaics, 2006; 14(2): 179–190. DOI: 10.1002/pip.652
    Direct Link:
  • 6
    Raugei M, Bargigli S, Ulgiati S. Life cycle assessment and energy pay-back time of advanced photovoltaic modules. CdTe and CIS compared to poly-Si. Energy, in press.
  • 7
    Fthenakis VM, Kim HC. Life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emissions embedded in electricity generated by thin film CdTe photovoltaics. Material Research Society Fall Meeting, Symposium G: Life Cycle Analysis Tools for “Green” Materials and Process Selection, Paper G3.5, Nov. 2005, Boston, MS.
  • 8
    Dones R, Heck T. LCA-based evaluation of ecological impacts and external cost of current and new electricity and heating systems. Material Research Society Fall Meeting, Symposium G: Life Cycle Analysis Tools for “Green” Materials and Process Selection, Nov. 2005, Paper G3.1, Boston, MS.
  • 9
    Joint Research Centre. European Union. Solar Irradiation Data Utility: http://re.jrc.cec.eu.int/pvgis/solradframe. php?en&europe
  • 10
    De Wild-Scholten M, Alsema E. Environmental life cycle inventory of crystalline silicon photovoltaic module production—excel file, Report ECN-C–06-002, http://www.ecn.nl/library/reports/2006e/c06002.html
  • 11
    Jahn U, Nasse W. Operational performance of grid-connected PV systems on buildings in Germany. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications 2004; 12(6): 441–448. DOI: 10.1002/pip.550
    Direct Link:
  • 12
    Jungbluth N. Life cycle assessment of crystalline photovoltaics in the Swiss ecoinvent database. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 2005; 13(5): 429–446. DOI: 10.1002/pip.614
    Direct Link:
Get PDF (169K)