Leda Patryk, Piasecka Izabela, Szala Grzegorz
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechatronics, Kazimierz Wielki University, Mikołaja Kopernika 1, 85-074 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Al. Prof. S. Kaliskiego 7, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Materials (Basel). 2025 Jun 11;18(12):2748. doi: 10.3390/ma18122748.
The main objective of this study is to assess the environmental life cycle of the materials, components, and elements of a mono-Si photovoltaic power plant towards their sustainable development. Currently, photovoltaic installations are considered to be environmentally friendly systems that produce "green" energy. During their exploitation, no pollutants are emitted into the environment. However, the processes of manufacturing and post-used management of their materials, components and elements are associated with both high demand for energy and matter, as well as with emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, water, and soil. For this reason, from the perspective of the entire life cycle, photovoltaic power plants may contribute to the deterioration of human health, the reduction in the quality of the environment, and the depletion of non-renewable fossil resources. Due to these potential threats, it was considered appropriate to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment of a real 2 MW photovoltaic power plant located in northern Poland, in terms of compliance with the main assumptions of sustainable development. The analysis was conducted using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology (the ReCiPe 2016 model). Impacts on the environment was assessed in three areas: human health, ecosystem quality, and material resources. Two scenarios were adopted for the post-used management of materials, components, and elements: landfill disposal and recycling. Based on the conducted research, it was found that, among the assessed groups of photovoltaic power plant components (photovoltaic modules, supporting structure, inverter station, and electrical infra-structure), photovoltaic modules have the highest level of harmful impact on the environment (especially the manufacturing stage). The use of recycling processes at the end of their use would reduce their harmful impact over the entire life cycle of a photovoltaic power plant and better fit with the main principles of sustainable development.
本研究的主要目的是评估单晶硅光伏电站的材料、组件和元件的环境生命周期，以促进其可持续发展。目前，光伏装置被认为是产生“绿色”能源的环境友好型系统。在其运行过程中，不会向环境中排放污染物。然而，其材料、组件和元件的制造过程以及使用后的管理过程，既与能源和物质的高需求相关，也与有害物质向大气、水和土壤中的排放相关。因此，从整个生命周期的角度来看，光伏电站可能会导致人类健康恶化、环境质量下降以及不可再生化石资源的枯竭。由于这些潜在威胁，对位于波兰北部的一座实际的2兆瓦光伏电站进行生命周期评估，以符合可持续发展的主要假设，被认为是合适的。该分析采用了生命周期评估（LCA）方法（ReCiPe 2016模型）。在三个领域评估了对环境的影响：人类健康、生态系统质量和物质资源。对材料、组件和元件的使用后管理采用了两种方案：填埋处置和回收利用。基于所进行的研究发现，在所评估的光伏电站组件组（光伏模块、支撑结构、逆变器站和电气基础设施）中，光伏模块对环境的有害影响程度最高（尤其是制造阶段）。在其使用寿命结束时采用回收工艺将减少其在光伏电站整个生命周期内的有害影响，并更好地符合可持续发展的主要原则。
