Life cycle assessment for producing monocrystalline photovoltaic panels: a case study of Brazil

Energy generation from photovoltaic panels provides for clean, renewable, low environmental impact energy. However, such characteristics are only related to products already in operation, as they do not apply to their production process. In this study, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was conducted to quantify 11 environmental impacts caused by the production of monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic panels in Brazil, considering raw material extraction, material processing, construction, and part production. The LCA showed that the photovoltaic panel production process has several environmental impacts that can be minimized by implementing changes to the production chain, especially to reduce the generation of greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming. It was observed that the solar cell production stage contributes to the environmental impacts the most, especially to those referring to abiotic depletion (84%) and to all stratospheric ozone layer depletion (62%). The potential impacts estimated were 9.43 x 10-2 kg Sbeq and 5.34 x 10-4 kg CFC-11eq, respectively. With relation to global warming, Greenhouse Gases (GHG) were emitted with a corresponding value of 3.23 x 103 kg CO2 eq, it was caused by CO2, CH4, HFC-134a, nitrous oxide, HFC-23, CFC-13 gases. To reduce impact per unit of production, it is suggested that the monocrystalline silicon panel production be substituted for polycrystalline, and more incentives be provided to increase large-scale panel production, making it cheaper.