Environmental analysis of end-of-life scenarios for decommissioned PV modules
Many functional photovoltaic (PV) modules are decommissioned prematurely, often due to the financially motivated repowering of PV systems. This study assesses under which circumstances there is an environmental incentive to reuse these modules as opposed to recycling and replacing them with new, more efficient modules. A life cycle assessment was conducted, covering the end-of-life treatment, manufacturing, transport and use phase of decommissioned and new modules.
The impacts are quantified in three categories: global warming potential, eco-cost of resource scarcity and total eco-cost. The findings indicate that, because of rapid technological advancements, the recycling and replacement of 10-year old decommissioned modules generally yield greater environmental benefits than local reuse.
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