Energy efficiency analysis and life cycle assessment of a recovery process from end-of-life photovoltaic panels

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells Pub Date : 2025-09-02 DOI:10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113931

Lin Ma , Dan Mao , Zhiqiang Yu , Jie Yu , Wenhui Ma , Pengbo Xu , Yuzhu Wang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Global deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems enhances energy security and environmental sustainability. However, with PV panels have lifespans of 25–30 years, the rising volume of end-of-life (EOL) panels have become a signification concern. Its recycling process performance of energy efficiency and environmental impacts is the critical issue. This study focuses on energy efficiency and environmental burdens/benefits to construct recycling process have been investigated from the points of view the first law of thermodynamics and life cycle assessment (LCA). The scope of study is the EOL stage of the recycling process and the functional unit is 1 ton of EOL PV panels. The results show that recycling process energy efficiency if 40.05 %, which should be improved. LCA results shown that the environmental burdens and environmental benefits of the process were quantified. In the ECER-145 results are 7.48E-09 and 2.61E-09, respectively, NOx contributed the most. Contribution analysis highlighted energy consumption, chemicals and transportation as the main hotspots of the recycling process, considering environmental benefits of recycled materials, with aluminum recovery contributing the most significant positive impact. Sensitivity analysis of the recycling was further considered, PV cells materials recovery and foam glass preparation process mean sensitivity ratios has higher, of 49.86 % and 37.27 %, respectively, NO_x emission has the highest sensitivity of 19.83 %. Uncertainty analysis indicated that acidification, eutrophication, and HT-cancer impact indexes have relatively higher uncertainly. The results in this article can provide cognition of energy efficiency evaluation and environmental impact assessment of the recycling process, which helps select optimal recycling conditions.

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报废光伏板回收过程的能源效率分析和生命周期评估

太阳能光伏（PV）系统的全球部署提高了能源安全和环境可持续性。然而，由于光伏电池板的寿命为25-30年，寿命终止（EOL）面板的数量不断增加已成为一个重大问题。其回收过程性能对能源效率和环境影响是至关重要的问题。本文主要从热力学第一定律和生命周期评价（LCA）的角度探讨了构建回收过程的能源效率和环境负担/效益。研究范围为回收过程的EOL阶段，功能单元为1吨EOL光伏板。结果表明，回收过程的能源效率为40.05%，还有待提高。LCA结果表明，该工艺的环境负担和环境效益得到了量化。在ECER-145结果中，NOx的贡献最大，分别为7.48E-09和2.61E-09。贡献分析强调能源消耗、化学品和运输是回收过程的主要热点，考虑到回收材料的环境效益，铝的回收贡献最显著的正影响。对回收的敏感性分析进行了进一步的考虑，光伏电池材料回收和泡沫玻璃制备工艺的平均敏感性比较高，分别为49.86%和37.27%，NOx排放的敏感性最高，为19.83%。不确定性分析表明，酸化、富营养化和高温癌影响指标具有较高的不确定性。本文的研究结果可以为回收过程的能效评价和环境影响评价提供认知，有助于选择最优的回收条件。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

12.60

自引率

11.60%

发文量

513

审稿时长

47 days

期刊介绍： Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells is intended as a vehicle for the dissemination of research results on materials science and technology related to photovoltaic, photothermal and photoelectrochemical solar energy conversion. Materials science is taken in the broadest possible sense and encompasses physics, chemistry, optics, materials fabrication and analysis for all types of materials.