Costs of controlling emissions from the manufacture of silicon photovoltaic cells using dendritic web technology
Detailed analyses were conducted to determine environmental control costs associated with the production of silicon dendritic web photovoltaic (PV) cells. In these analyses (i) likely manufacturing processing steps were identified, (ii) material inputs and uncontrolled material outputs were estimated, (iii) need for and capability of environmental control equipment were examined, and (iv) capital and operation and maintenance costs for environmental controls for integrated and disaggregated plant designs were estimated. These estimates were developed for a hypothetical facility with a yearly output of PV cells capable of producing 10 MWp. Analysis suggested that the annualized incremental environmental control costs, based on capital recovery over a 10 year plant life, would be 1.4 cents and 2.8 cents per watt for integrated and disaggregated plant designs, respectively. Capital costs ranged from 50% to 55% (integrated) and 36% to 40% (disaggregated) of the estimated costs; the ranges reflected differences in assumed real discount rates. Because of the small emission flows projected, treatment equipment to be used, for the most part, represents the smallest size readily available from equipment manufacturers. Consequently, larger emission flows could be accommodated without additional capital costs. Total control costs are small in comparison with current production costs for silicon photovoltaic devices ($5/watt), but may be of greater importance at projected production cost of $0.5 to 1.0/watt. These conclusions may not apply to other material or process options.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 6133534
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-51804; ON: DE85006265
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cost of energy from utility-scale PV systems
Solar Grade Silicon from Agricultural By-products
Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
POLLUTION CONTROL
COST
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
DENDRITIC WEB GROWTH METHOD
GASEOUS WASTES
LIQUID WASTES
MANUFACTURING
SOLID WASTES
CONTROL
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
WASTES
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
424000 - Engineering- Pollution Control Equipment- (1980-1989)