Environmental impacts of large-scale grid-connected ground-mounted PV installations

Abstract

This study characterizes the environmental performances of large-scale ground-mounted PV installations by considering a life-cycle approach. The methodology is based on the application of the existing international standards of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Four scenarios are compared, considering fixed-mounting structures with (1) primary aluminum supports or (2) wood supports, and mobile structures with (3) single-axis trackers or (4) dual-axis trackers. Life cycle inventories are based on manufacturers' data combined with additional calculations and assumptions. Fixed-mounting installations with primary aluminum supports show the largest environmental impact potential with respect to human health, climate change and energy consumption. The climate change impact potential ranges between 37.5 and 53.5 gCO 2 eq/kWh depending on the scenario, assuming 1700 kWh/m².yr of irradiation on an inclined plane (30°), and multi-crystalline silicon modules with 14% of energy production performance. Mobile PV installations with dual-axis trackers show the largest impact potential on ecosystem quality, with more than a factor 2 of difference with other considered installations. Supports mass and composition, power density (in MWp/acre of land) and energy production performances appear as key design parameters with respect to large-scale ground mounted PV installations environmental performances, in addition to modules manufacturing process energy inputs.

Life cycle assessment and cost analysis of very large-scale PV systems and suitable locations in the world

“…The tool used for this evaluation is the life cycle assessment (LCA), which is often used to evaluate the environmental effect of products. Papers using the LCA address PV houses [3][4][5][6][7], PV modules [8][9][10][11][12], recycling [13][14][15][16], comparisons with other technologies [17][18][19], and large-scale PV systems [20][21][22][23][24][25]. However, for PV systems located in Africa, no LCA analysis exists to the knowledge of the authors.…”

On the Corrosion Performance of Module-Mounting Assemblies for Ground-Mounted Photovoltaic Power Station

“…This is primarily because they could be constructed on a much larger scale, which is very important for utility-size power stations. In addition, groundmounted PV structures have several other benefits over roof-mounted arrays, including flexible adjustment of solar panel angles and orientation, easy and safe maintenance, better performance (through facilitated cooling), and additional space for possible future system expansion [1][2][3][4].…”

Solar radiation distribution inside a monospan greenhouse with the roof entirely covered by photovoltaic panels

“…In rural landscapes, due to the land consumption and to the environmental impacts involved by ground-mounted PV plants (Beylot et al, 2011;Taylor, 2014), government remuneration polices promoted the realisation of integrated PV systems with the structures instead of ground-mounted PV plants (GSE, 2013).…”