Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore

In life cycle assessment (LCA) of solar PV systems, energy pay back time (EPBT) is the commonly used indicator to justify its primary energy use. However, EPBT is a function of competing energy sources with which electricity from solar PV is compared, and amount of electricity generated from the sol...

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Main Authors: Kannan, Ramachandran, Leong, Kai Choong, Osman, Ramli, Ho, Hiang Kwee, Tso, Chih Ping
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/
http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/1/Life%20cycle%20assessment%20study%20of%20solar%20PV%20systems.pdf
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author Kannan, Ramachandran
Leong, Kai Choong
Osman, Ramli
Ho, Hiang Kwee
Tso, Chih Ping
author_facet Kannan, Ramachandran
Leong, Kai Choong
Osman, Ramli
Ho, Hiang Kwee
Tso, Chih Ping
author_sort Kannan, Ramachandran
building MMU Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In life cycle assessment (LCA) of solar PV systems, energy pay back time (EPBT) is the commonly used indicator to justify its primary energy use. However, EPBT is a function of competing energy sources with which electricity from solar PV is compared, and amount of electricity generated from the solar PV system which varies with local irradiation and ambient conditions. Therefore, it is more appropriate to use site-specific EPBT for major decision-making in power generation planning. LCA and life cycle cost analysis are performed for a distributed 2.7 kW(p) grid-connected monocrystalline solar PV system operating in Singapore. This paper presents various EPBT analyses of the solar PV system with reference to a fuel oil-fired steam turbine and their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs are also compared. The study reveals that GHG emission from electricity generation from the solar PV system is less than one-fourth that from an oil-fired steam turbine plant and one-half that from a gas-fired combined cycle plant. However, the cost of electricity is about five to seven times higher than that from the oil or gas fired power plant. The environmental uncertainties of the solar PV system are also critically reviewed and presented. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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spelling mmu-20162021-09-08T02:13:09Z http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/ Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore Kannan, Ramachandran Leong, Kai Choong Osman, Ramli Ho, Hiang Kwee Tso, Chih Ping TK1001-1841 Production of electric energy or power. Powerplants. Central stations In life cycle assessment (LCA) of solar PV systems, energy pay back time (EPBT) is the commonly used indicator to justify its primary energy use. However, EPBT is a function of competing energy sources with which electricity from solar PV is compared, and amount of electricity generated from the solar PV system which varies with local irradiation and ambient conditions. Therefore, it is more appropriate to use site-specific EPBT for major decision-making in power generation planning. LCA and life cycle cost analysis are performed for a distributed 2.7 kW(p) grid-connected monocrystalline solar PV system operating in Singapore. This paper presents various EPBT analyses of the solar PV system with reference to a fuel oil-fired steam turbine and their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs are also compared. The study reveals that GHG emission from electricity generation from the solar PV system is less than one-fourth that from an oil-fired steam turbine plant and one-half that from a gas-fired combined cycle plant. However, the cost of electricity is about five to seven times higher than that from the oil or gas fired power plant. The environmental uncertainties of the solar PV system are also critically reviewed and presented. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Elsevier 2006 Article NonPeerReviewed text en http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/1/Life%20cycle%20assessment%20study%20of%20solar%20PV%20systems.pdf Kannan, Ramachandran and Leong, Kai Choong and Osman, Ramli and Ho, Hiang Kwee and Tso, Chih Ping (2006) Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore. Solar Energy, 80 (5). pp. 555-563. ISSN 0038-092X http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2005.04.008 doi:10.1016/j.solener.2005.04.008 doi:10.1016/j.solener.2005.04.008
spellingShingle TK1001-1841 Production of electric energy or power. Powerplants. Central stations
Kannan, Ramachandran
Leong, Kai Choong
Osman, Ramli
Ho, Hiang Kwee
Tso, Chih Ping
Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore
title Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore
title_full Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore
title_fullStr Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore
title_full_unstemmed Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore
title_short Life cycle assessment study of solar PV systems: An example of a 2.7kWp distributed solar PV system in Singapore
title_sort life cycle assessment study of solar pv systems: an example of a 2.7kwp distributed solar pv system in singapore
topic TK1001-1841 Production of electric energy or power. Powerplants. Central stations
url http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/
http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/
http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/
http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/2016/1/Life%20cycle%20assessment%20study%20of%20solar%20PV%20systems.pdf