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Comparative Life-cycle Analysis of Photovoltaics Based on Nano-materials: A Proposed Framework

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Hyung Chul Kim ,
V. Fthenakis ,
S. Gualtero ,
R. van der Meulen  and
H. C. Kim
Hyung Chul Kim
Affiliation:
hckim@bnl.gov, Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Photovoltaic EH&S Research Cener, Bldg 475B, Upton, NY, 11973, United States, 631-344-2723
V. Fthenakis
Affiliation:
vmf5@columbia.edu, Columbia University, Center for Life Cycle Analysis, New York, NY, 10027, United States
S. Gualtero
Affiliation:
smg2125@columbia.edu, Columbia University, Center for Life Cycle Analysis, New York, NY, 10027, United States
R. van der Meulen
Affiliation:
rv2191@columbia.edu, Columbia University, Center for Life Cycle Analysis, New York, NY, 10027, United States
H. C. Kim
Affiliation:
hckim@bnl.gov, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PV Environmental Research Cener, Upton, NY, 11973, United States
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Abstract

Life cycle analysis becomes especially important for characterizing new material forms in new energy generation technologies intended to replace or improve the current infrastructure of energy production. We propose a comparative life-cycle analysis framework for investigating the effect of introducing nanotechnology in the life cycle of new photovoltaics, which focuses on the differences between the new technologies and the ones that they may replace. The following parameters are investigated within this framework: 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 in comparing nano-structured cadmium telluride and silicon films with their nano- and amorphous- structured equivalents.

Keywords

nanostructureenvironmentally benignphotovoltaic
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1041: Symposium R – Life-Cycle Analysis for New Energy Conversion and Storage Systems , 2007 , 1041-R01-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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