Title:	Carbon- and Environmental Footprinting of Photovoltaic Modules
Author(s):	M. de Wild-Scholten, R. van der Meulen
Keywords:	Building Integration, Environmental Effect, Carbon Footprint, Energy Payback Time
Topic:	PV - a Major Electricity Source
Subtopic:	Sustainability Aspects
Event:	27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Session:	6DO.10.4
Pages:	4374 - 4378
ISBN:	3-936338-28-0
Paper DOI:	10.4229/27thEUPVSEC2012-6DO.10.4
Price:	0,00 EUR
Document(s):	paper

Abstract/Summary:

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Upcoming building regulations in the framework of sustainable building policy will require reliable, producer-specific data on the environmental profile of PV products. Carbon footprinting is an important aspect of environmental sustainability reporting but a fair comparison can only be made when all environmental footprints of a product are taken into account. Also different LCA databases (for example ecoinvent, Gabi and ELCD) will generate different results. Many PV module producers have performed a carbon footprint analysis but because various methodologies and assumptions are used a good comparison is not possible. ISO 14067-1 is the internationally leading (draft) standard for carbon footprinting of products. No Product Footprint Category Rules (PFCR) or Product Category Rules (PCRs) for Photovoltaics exist and it is recommended to use IEA PVPS task 12 guidelines. New LCA data for commercial production of crystalline silicon-, amorphous silicon, CIGS and CdTe glass-based PV modules are compiled and show decreased power and material consumption.