The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) of photovoltaic modules-Lessons learned from the environmental footprint pilot phase on the way to a single market for green products in the European Union

Wade, Andreas; Stolz, Philippe; Frischknecht, Rolf; Heath, Garvin; Sinha, Parikhit

doi:10.1002/pip.2956

The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) of photovoltaic modules-Lessons learned from the environmental footprint pilot phase on the way to a single market for green products in the European Union

Journal Article · Tue Dec 12 04:00:00 EST 2017 · Progress in Photovoltaics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2956· OSTI ID:1466564

^[1]; Stolz, Philippe ^[2]; Frischknecht, Rolf ^[2]; Heath, Garvin ^[3]; Sinha, Parikhit ^[4]

First Solar GmbH, Deputy Operating Agent IEA PVPS Task 12, Rheinstr 4 55116 Mainz Germany
treeze Ltd., Switzerland
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, CO USA
First Solar Inc, AZ USA

Shaping and channeling the transformation of the global energy system require an understanding of the life cycle environmental impacts of available technology options. With photovoltaic electricity generation expected to be the largest, least cost, and most relevant source of energy globally by mid-century, the environmental and resource implications of this technology should be made accessible to a variety of societal, political, and scientific stakeholders. The Product Environmental Footprint Guide provides a methodology for assessing the environmental impacts of PV technologies based on life cycle assessment. The establishment of an inclusive multi-stakeholder process with multiple checkpoints, ensuring scientific soundness, societal and political acceptance and methodological quality, is portrayed in this paper and can serve as a model for driving a single market for green products in the EU.

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1466564

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-6A20-72244

Journal Information:: Progress in Photovoltaics, Journal Name: Progress in Photovoltaics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 26; ISSN 1062-7995

Publisher:: Wiley

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) of photovoltaic modules-Lessons learned from the environmental footprint pilot phase on the way to a single market for green products in the European Union

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