Photovoltaics (PV) are essential to the decarbonization of the energy sector: According to the European solar association SolarPower Europe, PV produces nearly 96 percent less greenhouse gas emissions over its service life than coal-fired power plants and 93 percent less than gas-fired power plants. A study by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE found that solar energy saved 60 million tons of CO2 equivalents between 2005 and 2023.
But even solar energy is not entirely free of emissions, with PV module production being the largest contributor to its greenhouse gas emissions. The solar industry and governments are working to reduce this proportion.
Solar energy continues to boom: According to SolarPower Europe, one terawatt could be installed globally each year from 2028. Given such growth rates, there are different approaches to making PV a fully sustainable industry.
The government can help improve the market position of solar technology produced with low carbon emissions, also known as low-carbon solar technology, by providing incentives. In France and South Korea, public tenders require a carbon footprint report of the modules, and those with good ratings are rewarded with bonus points and a higher remuneration. EU legislators are working on specifications promoting sustainable solar technology, such as Ecodesign and Energy Label Directives for PV modules, inverters and systems.
The production of solar technology is the main source of PV emissions, with PV modules and the materials required for their production making up the largest share. Especially the production of polysilicon, the first step in the PV value-added chain, is an energy-intensive and thus high-emission process (40 to 50 percent of the value chain’s total energy consumption). The second step, which involves pulling or casting ingots, consumes a lot of energy (15 to 20 percent of the value chain’s total energy consumption).
There are a number of different measures that can help reduce the carbon footprint of PV modules. One of them is conserving energy – by optimizing the production technologies, improving processes, recycling materials internally or by recovering energy. Another cornerstone is the use of low-carbon energy in the production process. Many big manufacturers, including LONGi Solar, Jinko Solar and First Solar have already committed to using 100 percent renewable energy in their production. It is also important to reduce the proportion of emission-intensive materials in the modules – such as aluminum, glass and polysilicon – as much as possible.
Although the emissions from PV production are much higher, the emissions from transporting solar technology can also be minimized by using low-emission transportation and by building production sites closer to the consumption centers. Europe would thus benefit from establishing PV production on the continent.
Increased recycling rates promote the recovery of energy-intensive materials – making a circular economy essential to reducing the PV industry’s carbon footprint. Advances in solar technology also make a big difference: More efficient modules and inverters with a longer service life decrease emissions by producing more electricity with fewer modules and minimizing the need for solar technology. Technological advances over the past two decades have dramatically reduced wafer thickness from 400 microns (μm) to 170–180 μm.
The reduction of the carbon footprint of PV modules and components and public incentive schemes for sustainable solar technology will be one of many sustainability topics in the PV industry at the Sustainable Solar Europe Summit .
Sustainable Solar Europe
December 12, 2024
Event Lounge, Brussels
In the session titled How to Lower the Carbon Footprint of PV Modules and Components: Sharing Industry Best Practices, you will learn more about methods and strategies for reducing emissions as well as best practices.
The session Meeting Sustainability Requirements From End-Users: PV Sustainability and Resilience in Public Procurement will focus on changes in public tenders that would favor low-carbon solar technology.
For further information on the program, please visit:
www.sustainable-solar-europe.com