SUMMARY:  Despite the renewable nature of solar energy, the sustainability of photovoltaic (PV) systems needs to be evaluated in order to minimize adverse environmental impacts and optimize economic performance. This piece of research represents a first approach to produce an environmental and economic assessment of a 1.0 m2 (350 W) micro concentrator PV (microCPV) module designed at Institute of Solar Energy (IES-UPM) in Spain. The incorporation of concentrating lenses allows this technology to produce electricity from direct solar radiation at higher efficiencies than conventional PV cells.

OBJECTIVES:

This investigation aims to investigate the sustainability of micro CPV systems, based on the technology developed at IES-UPM. 

• Define a representative architecture for the micro-CPV system that allows the quantification of a material, energy and economic Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)

• Define operating scenarios for these micro-CPV systems

• Produce an Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of alternative construction and operating scenarios

•  Produce a Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCC) and a Coste Benefit Assessment (CBA) of alternative construction and operating scenarios

• Define construction and operating parameters to improve environmental and economic performance