|
AUTHOR(S): Oloruntobi Sunday Olatide, Victor Adelegan Adewumi, Moses Olarewaju Oluwadare, Sulaiman Alagbe-Shehu, Emmanuel Olayimika Sangotayo
|
TITLE Assessment of Energy Payback and Life Cycle Carbon Emissions for a 12 W Rooftop PV module |
 PDF |
ABSTRACT The advancement of sustainable energy solutions, particularly in off-grid contexts, is contingent upon the implementation of small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Employing the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodology implemented through OpenLCA software, this study report investigated the energy return period and life cycle carbon footprint of a 12W polycrystalline solar photovoltaic module. The study utilized environmental indicators, such as cumulative energy demand (CED), energy payback time (EPBT), global warming potential (GWP), greenhouse gas payback time (GHG-PBT), greenhouse gas emission rate, CO2 emission rate, and CO2 payback time, to offer a comprehensive understanding of the environmental performance of this compact solar technology. The pre-production and manufacturing stages in China, as well as transportation logistics in Nigeria and China, are all included in the defined system boundaries. The evaluation was based on an average global horizontal irradiance of 4.846 kWh/m² per day, and the installation, operating, and end-of-life disposal phases took place in Ogbomosho. The results showed a cumulative CED of 1232 MJ for the entire life cycle, which is equivalent to 15,400 MJ/m². Polysilicon processing and the ingot and wafer fabrication phases were attributed to 63% of the total CED. The principal energy output is estimated at 76.4117 MJ per annum, and the Energy Payback Time (EPBT) is 16.12 years. Throughout the module's 30-year lifecycle, the net energy benefit (NEB) was 1060.35 MJ. According to the analysis, the module's entire life cycle has a global warming potential (GWP) of 136 kg CO₂-eq, which equates to 0.214 kg CO₂-eq/kWh. Utilizing Nigeria's grid emission factor of 0.547 kg CO₂/kWh, the GHG emission rate is established at 0.214 kg CO₂-eq/kWh, and the GHG-PBT is determined to be 11.72 years. The CO2 emission rate is 0.203 kg CO₂ per kWh, which leads to a CO2 repayment period of 14.15 years. This study illustrated the viability of 12 W polycrystalline solar photovoltaic modules as sustainable energy solutions in off-grid environments. In order to further reduce the environmental impact of solar photovoltaic systems, future research may concentrate on optimizing manufacturing processes and enhancing their sustainability. |
KEYWORDS Photovoltaic Module, Energy, Payback, Carbon Footprint, Global Warming |
|
Cite this paper Oloruntobi Sunday Olatide, Victor Adelegan Adewumi, Moses Olarewaju Oluwadare, Sulaiman Alagbe-Shehu, Emmanuel Olayimika Sangotayo. (2025) Assessment of Energy Payback and Life Cycle Carbon Emissions for a 12 W Rooftop PV module. International Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Systems, 10, 56-69 |
|
