Are Perovskite Solar Cells an Environmentally Sustainable Emerging Energy Technology? Upscaling from Lab to Fab in Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Evaluating the environmental sustainability of perovskite solar cells (PSC) as an emerging functional material (FunMat) requires upscaling scenarios to assess environmental impacts adequately and detect possible risks before commercialization. Previous studies took life cycle assessment (LCA) to anticipate the environmental performance of prospective PSC applications and compared it to commercial benchmarks. However, these comparisons are biased, since upscaling has not been addressed at all or comprehensively. We evaluate the climate-friendliness and resource efficiency of PSC modules upscaled using UpFunMatLCAa scheme to generate systematically upscaling scenarios in prospective LCA. Upscaling manufacturing demand is performed using three-stage process learning: (1) technological learning, (2) size scaling, and (3) industrial learning. The upscaled PSC modules are deployed worldwide, including country-specific irradiation and PSC’s temperature effect. The novel indicator, the environmental break-even time, indicates when the upscaled PSC’s environmental impacts offset country-specific electricity mixes. If PSC modules achieve five years lifetime, they will be applied as climate-friendly energy technology in almost all worldwide countries. Demonstrating resource efficiency required the inclusion of additional material learning. UpFunMatLCA does not provide definitive environmental impacts but strives to generate realistic scenarios based on current knowledge to drive the future environmental sustainability of PSC applications.

Advancements in Photovoltaic Cell Materials: Silicon, Organic, and Perovskite Solar Cells

“…Interfacial engineering in perovskite cells, crucial for addressing degradation from external factors, was a key focus of Kymakis’s work [ 107 ]. The environmental sustainability of perovskite PV systems, as discussed by Weyand et al [ 145 ], hinges on achieving a five-year lifetime to qualify as a climate-friendly technology globally. In another study, Tan et al [ 146 ] emphasized the importance of life cycle sustainability assessment in supporting the sustainable development of solar power generation, including perovskite solar cells.…”