DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Sustainability pathways for perovskite photovoltaics

Journal Article · · Nature Materials
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  3. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Renewable and Sustainable Energy Inst. (RASEI), Boulder, CO (United States)

Solar energy is the fastest-growing source of electricity generation globally. As deployment increases, photovoltaic (PV) panels need to be produced sustainably. Therefore, the resource utilization rate and the rate at which those resources become available in the environment must be in equilibrium while maintaining the well-being of people and nature. Metal halide perovskite (MHP) semiconductors could revolutionize PV technology due to high efficiency, readily available/accessible materials and low-cost production. Here we outline how MHP-PV panels could scale a sustainable supply chain while appreciably contributing to a global renewable energy transition. Further, we evaluate the critical material concerns, embodied energy, carbon impacts and circular supply chain processes of MHP-PVs. The research community is in an influential position to prioritize research efforts in reliability, recycling and remanufacturing to make MHP-PVs one of the most sustainable energy sources on the market.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
2429283
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA--5F00-85861; MainId:86634; UUID:bd1db3d9-554f-460c-b8e9-2782deb44634; MainAdminId:73348
Journal Information:
Nature Materials, Journal Name: Nature Materials Vol. 24; ISSN 1476-1122
Publisher:
Springer NatureCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (81)

Low‐Bandgap Mixed Tin‐Lead Perovskites and Their Applications in All‐Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells journal February 2019
Rear Electrode Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2022
Tin Oxide Electron‐Selective Layers for Efficient, Stable, and Scalable Perovskite Solar Cells journal March 2021
Formation and Diffusion of Metal Impurities in Perovskite Solar Cell Material CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 : Implications on Solar Cell Degradation and Choice of Electrode journal December 2017
Toward Long-Term Stable and Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells via Effective Charge Transporting Materials journal May 2018
From Defects to Degradation: A Mechanistic Understanding of Degradation in Perovskite Solar Cell Devices and Modules journal March 2020
Avoiding Structural Collapse to Reduce Lead Leakage in Perovskite Photovoltaics journal May 2022
Tailoring Hydrocarbon Polymers and All-Hydrocarbon Composites for Circular Economy journal November 2018
Polyolefin Innovations toward Circularity and Sustainable Alternatives journal July 2022
Photovoltaic Degradation Rates-an Analytical Review: Photovoltaic degradation rates journal October 2011
Photovoltaic failure and degradation modes: PV failure and degradation modes
  • Jordan, Dirk C.; Silverman, Timothy J.; Wohlgemuth, John H.
  • Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 25, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2866
journal January 2017
Impact of illumination and encapsulant resistivity on polarization‐type potential‐induced degradation on n‐PERT cells journal December 2021
Quantifying optical loss of high‐voltage degradation modes in photovoltaic modules using spectral analysis journal March 2023
Extraction and separation of Cd and Te from cadmium telluride photovoltaic manufacturing scrap journal January 2006
Are Perovskite Solar Cell Potential‐Induced Degradation Proof? journal December 2021
Recycling of solar cells from photovoltaic modules via an environmentally friendly and controllable swelling process by using dibasic ester journal March 2023
Methylamines synthesis: A review journal August 1997
Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations journal January 2018
Comparative evaluation of lead emissions and toxicity potential in the life cycle of lead halide perovskite photovoltaics journal January 2019
PV in the circular economy, a dynamic framework analyzing technology evolution and reliability impacts journal January 2022
Metal halide perovskite toxicity effects on Arabidopsis thaliana plants are caused by iodide ions journal January 2022
Manufacturing energy and greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastics consumption journal January 2021
Charge transfer rates and electron trapping at buried interfaces of perovskite solar cells journal November 2021
Embodied energy and carbon from the manufacture of cadmium telluride and silicon photovoltaics journal July 2022
Recycling and recovery of perovskite solar cells journal March 2021
Breakthroughs in NiOx-HTMs towards stable, low-cost and efficient perovskite solar cells journal September 2018
Protic ionic liquid assisted solution processing of lead halide perovskites with water, alcohols and acetonitrile journal September 2018
Country-specific carbon footprint and cumulative energy demand of metallurgical grade silicon production for silicon photovoltaics journal May 2022
Abiotic depletion and the potential risk to the supply of cesium journal October 2020
Solution and vapour deposited lead perovskite solar cells: Ecotoxicity from a life cycle assessment perspective journal June 2015
Artificial linear brush abrasion of coatings for photovoltaic module first-surfaces journal January 2021
CdTe-based thin film photovoltaics: Recent advances, current challenges and future prospects journal June 2023
Close-loop recycling of perovskite solar cells through dissolution-recrystallization of perovskite by butylamine journal February 2021
Fate and Exposure Assessment of Pb Leachate from Hypothetical Breakage Events of Perovskite Photovoltaic Modules journal March 2023
Rain on Methylammonium Lead Iodide Based Perovskites: Possible Environmental Effects of Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2015
Quantifying the Potential for Lead Pollution from Halide Perovskite Photovoltaics journal August 2015
Redox Chemistry Dominates the Degradation and Decomposition of Metal Halide Perovskite Optoelectronic Devices journal August 2016
Environmental Sustainability of Mixed Cation Perovskite Materials in Photovoltaics Manufacturing journal October 2020
Simple Approach to the Highly Efficient and Cost-Effective Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells via Solvent-Engineered Electron-Transporting Layers of Fullerene journal November 2022
Remanufacturing Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules–A Holistic Case Study journal January 2024
Therapeutic applications of low-toxicity spherical nanocarbon materials journal February 2014
Selective dissolution of halide perovskites as a step towards recycling solar cells journal May 2016
Toxicity of organometal halide perovskite solar cells journal February 2016
Degradation mechanism of hybrid tin-based perovskite solar cells and the critical role of tin (IV) iodide journal May 2021
Tailored interfaces of unencapsulated perovskite solar cells for >1,000 hour operational stability journal January 2018
Integration of two-dimensional materials-based perovskite solar panels into a stand-alone solar farm journal June 2022
Ethanol-based green-solution processing of α-formamidinium lead triiodide perovskite layers journal August 2022
Nano-optical designs for high-efficiency monolithic perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells journal October 2022
Bioplastics for a circular economy journal January 2022
On-device lead sequestration for perovskite solar cells journal February 2020
Assessing health and environmental impacts of solvents for producing perovskite solar cells journal December 2020
Life cycle assessment of recycling strategies for perovskite photovoltaic modules journal June 2021
Sustainable polymers journal June 2022
Assessing the toxicity of Pb- and Sn-based perovskite solar cells in model organism Danio rerio journal January 2016
Towards non-toxic solvents for membrane preparation: a review journal January 2014
Perovskite photovoltaics: life-cycle assessment of energy and environmental impacts journal January 2015
Electrochemical recycling of lead from hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites using deep eutectic solvents journal January 2016
Proof-of-concept for facile perovskite solar cell recycling journal January 2016
Is Cu a stable electrode material in hybrid perovskite solar cells for a 30-year lifetime? journal January 2016
A technoeconomic analysis of perovskite solar module manufacturing with low-cost materials and techniques journal January 2017
Evaluation of multiple cation/anion perovskite solar cells through life cycle assessment journal January 2018
Encapsulating perovskite solar cells to withstand damp heat and thermal cycling journal January 2018
Lead or no lead? Availability, toxicity, sustainability and environmental impact of lead-free perovskite solar cells journal January 2021
Design considerations for multi-terawatt scale manufacturing of existing and future photovoltaic technologies: challenges and opportunities related to silver, indium and bismuth consumption journal January 2021
Carbon-based electrodes for perovskite solar cells journal January 2021
Vapor phase deposition of perovskite photovoltaics: short track to commercialization? journal January 2024
Continuous flash sublimation of inorganic halide perovskites: overcoming rate and continuity limitations of vapor deposition journal January 2024
Life-cycle environmental impacts of single-junction and tandem perovskite PVs: a critical review and future perspectives journal July 2020
PV Module Recycling Solution and Module Defects in the Field
  • Ito, Masafumi; Doi, Taisuke
  • 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (WCPEC) (A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC & 34th EU PVSEC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2018.8547313
conference June 2018
Reliability Analysis of Field-aged Glass/Glass PV Modules: Influence of Different Encapsulant Types
  • Thorat, Prathamesh Manohar; Waghmare, Shreyas Prasad; Sinha, Archana
  • 2020 IEEE 47th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2020 47th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC45281.2020.9300551
conference June 2020
Quantifying Energy flows in PV Circularity Processes conference June 2022
Life cycle energy use and environmental implications of high-performance perovskite tandem solar cells journal July 2020
Terawatt-scale photovoltaics: Transform global energy journal May 2019
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses of encapsulated stable perovskite solar cells journal May 2020
Accelerated aging of all-inorganic, interface-stabilized perovskite solar cells journal July 2022
Scalable processing for realizing 21.7%-efficient all-perovskite tandem solar modules journal May 2022
Circular economy priorities for photovoltaics in the energy transition journal September 2022
Lead toxicity: a review journal June 2015
The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions book May 2021
Energy Return on Investment of Major Energy Carriers: Review and Harmonization journal June 2022
Impact of silica mining on environment journal June 2015

Similar Records