Abstract
In the context of constantly growing global energy demand, the interest of the scientific community is progressively moving toward renewable energy sources and sustainable growth. The search for alternative energy sources and the technologies necessary for their exploitation, able to combine efficiency, ease of use, and reduced environmental impact is therefore an important challenge for our civilization. Photovoltaics (PV) is one of the technologies available to produce electricity from solar energy and recent research turned itself to the development of devices based on alternative materials, like the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) that have attracted much interest because of their potentially low cost of production. Thanks to the employment of readily available materials, they actually present drastically lower economic and environmental costs compared with traditional silicon-based cells even though they are not efficient enough yet to be industrially competitive. In this study, we present the results of life cycle assessment (LCA) for the production process of DSCs. The environmental performance of a virtual roof-top grid-connected DSC system in comparison with several advanced thin-film PV technologies for energy production is also described. This analysis will be pivotal in understanding the environmental dynamics, the benefits and drawbacks associated with the production of DSCs in comparison with other thin-film PV technologies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Alsema EA, Nieuwlaar E (2000) Energy viability of photovoltaic systems. Energy Policy 28(14):999–1010
Bai Y, Cao Y, Zhang J, Wang M, Li R, Wang P, Nazeeruddin SM, Grätzel M (2008) High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells based on solvent-free electrolytes produced from eutectic melts. Nat Mater 7(8):626–630
Bravi M, Parisi ML, Tiezzi E, Basosi R (2010) Life cycle assessment of advanced technologies for photovoltaic panels production. Int J Heat Technol 28(2):133–139
Bravi M, Parisi ML, Tiezzi E, Basosi R (2011) Life cycle assessment of a micromorph photovoltaic system. Energy 36(7):4297–4306
De Wild-Scholten MJ, Veltkamp AC (2007) Environmental life cycle analysis of dye sensitized solar devices; Status and Outlook. Paper presented at the 22nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Milan, Italy, 3–7 September 2007
Dennler G, Bracec C (2008) Socio economics impacts of low cost PV Technologies. In: Brabec C, Scherf U, Dyakonov V (eds) Organic photovoltaics: materials, device physics and manufacturing technologies. Wiley-VCH, Germany, pp 531–567
DyeSol Australia. http://www.dyesol.com. Accessed 16 Oct 2011
Frischknecht R, Jungbluth N, Althaus HJ, Bauer C, Doka G, Dones R (2007a) Implementation of life cycle impact assessment methods. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories. Technical Report Ecoinvent No. 3, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Frischknecht R, Jungbluth N, Althaus HJ, Doka G, Heck T, Hellweg S et al (2007b) Ecoinvent v2.0: overview and methodology. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories. Technical Report Ecoinvent No. 1, Dübendorf, Switzerland
Fthenakis VM, Alsema, EA (2006) Photovoltaics energy payback times, greenhouse gas emissions and external costs: 2004–early 2005 status. Prog Photovolt 14(3):275–280
Fthenakis VM, Kim HC, Alsema EA (2008) Emissions from photovoltaic life cycles. Environ Sci Technol 42(6):2168–2174
G24 Innovations. Wales (UK). http://www.g24i.com. Accessed 15 Oct 2011
Grätzel M (2001) Photoelectrochemical cells. Nature 414:338–344
Greijer H, Karlsonb L, Lindquista SE, Hagfeldt A (2001) Environmental aspects of electricity generation from a nanocrystalline dye sensitized solar cell system. Renew Energy 23(1):27–39
Guinèe JB, Gorrée M, Heijungs R, Huppes G, Kleijn R, De Koning A, Van Oers L, Wegener Sleeswijk A, Weidema BP (2001) Life cycle assessment; an operational guide to the ISO standards; characterisation and normalisation factors. Centre of Environmental Science (CML), Den Haag and Leiden, The Netherlands
Hagfeldt A, Boschloo G, Sun L, Kloo L, Pettersson H (2010) Dye-sensitized solar cell. Chem Rev 110:6595–6664
IPCC (2007) GWP 100a v 1.02, Climate Change 2007, IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, The Physical Science Basis
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 14040 standard (2006) Environmental management-Life cycle assessment-Principles and framework
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 14044 standard (2006) Environmental management–Life cycle assessment–Requirements and Guidelines
Jäger-Waldau A (2008) PV Status Report 2008, Research, Solar Cell Production and Market Implementation of Photovoltaics. Ispra, Italy: Institute for Energy, Renewable Energies Unit, DG Joint Research Centre; EUR–Scientific and Technical Research Series, ISSN 1018-5593
Jungbluth N (2005) Life cycle assessment of crystalline photovoltaics in the Swiss ecoinvent database. Prog Photovolt 13(5):429–446
Jungbluth N, Dones R, Frischknecht R (2008) Life cycle assessment of photovoltaics: update of ecoinvent data v2.0. ESU-services Ltd. Uster
Kato K, Hibino T, Komoto K, Ihara S, Yamamoto S, Fujihara H (2001) A life-cycle analysis on thin-film CdS/CdTe PV modules. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells 67:279–287
Keoleian GA, Lewis GM (1997) Application of life cycle energy analysis to photovoltaic module design. Prog Photovolt 5:287–300
Konarka Technologies Inc. USA. http://www.konarka.com. Accessed 14 Oct 2011
National Renewable Energy Laboratory 2008 Solar Technologies Market Report, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; January 2010
O’Regan B, Grätzel M (1991) A low-cost, high efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO films. Nature 353:737–740
Parisi ML, Sinicropi A, Basosi R (2011) Life cycle assessment of Grätzel-type cell production for non conventional photovoltaics from novel organic dyes. Int J Heat Tecchnol 29(2):161–169
Parisi ML, Sinicropi A, Basosi R (2012) Life cycle assessment of thin film non conventional photovoltaics the case of dye sensitized solar cells. Paper presented at the 25th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems; Perugia, Italy, 26–29 June 2012
Pearsal N (2011) Science, technology and applications group of the EU Photovoltaic Technology Platform, A Strategic Research Agenda for Photovoltaic Solar Energy Technology, Photovoltaic Technology Platform Edition 2. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: School of CEIS, Northumbria Photovoltaics Applications Centre. ISBN 978-92-79-20172-1
PV-TRAC, Photovoltaic Technology Research Advisory Council, EU PV Technology Platform (2005) A vision for photovoltaic technology. European Commission, Brussels
Prè Consultants (2008) Sima Pro 7.1. Amersoort, The Netherlands. http://www.pre.nl
Raugei M, Bargigli S, Ulgiati S (2007) Life cycle assessment and energy pay-back time of advanced photovoltaic modules: CdTe and CIS compared to poly-Si. Energy 32(8):1310–1318
Solaronix SA (2011) Switzerland. http://www.solaronix.ch. Accessed 14 Oct 2011
Van Sark W, Alsema EA, Junginger HM, de Moor HH, Schaeffer GJ (2008) Accuracy of progress ratios determined from experience curves: the case of crystalline silicon photovoltaic module technology development. Prog Photovolt 16(5):441–453
Yella A, Lee H, Tsao H, Yi C, Chandiran A, Nazzeruddin SM, Diau E, Yeh C, Zakeeruddin S, Grätzel M (2011) Porphyrin-sensitized solar cells with cobalt (II/III)–based redox electrolyte exceed 12 % efficiency. Science 334:629–634
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Project Fotosensorg (POR FSE 2007–2013) for supporting us financially in Design and synthesis of new organic sensitizers for nonconventional solar cells production. Useful discussions with Prof. M. Taddei (Unisi) and Dr. A. Mordini, G. Reginato and L. Zani (ICCOM-CNR) are acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer India
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Parisi, M., Basosi, R. (2015). Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Nonconventional Thin-Film Photovoltaics: The Case of Dye-Sensitized Solar Devices. In: Reddy, B., Ulgiati, S. (eds) Energy Security and Development. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2065-7_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2065-7_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New Delhi
Print ISBN: 978-81-322-2064-0
Online ISBN: 978-81-322-2065-7
eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)