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Title: LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.

Abstract

Material flows and emissions in all the stages of production of zinc, copper, aluminum, cadmium, indium, germanium, gallium, selenium, tellurium, and molybdenum were investigated. These metals are used selectively in the manufacture of solar cells, and emission and energy factors in their production are used in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of photovoltaics. Significant changes have occurred in the production and associated emissions for these metals over the last 10 years, which are not described in the LCA databases. Furthermore, emission and energy factors for several of the by-products of the base metal production were lacking. This report aims in updating the life-cycle inventories associated with the production of the base metals (Zn, Cu, Al, Mo) and in defining the emission and energy allocations for the minor metals (Cd, In, Ge, Se, Te and Ga) used in photovoltaics.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Doe - Office Of Science
OSTI Identifier:
909957
Report Number(s):
BNL-77919-2007
R&D Project: 15040; EB2102010; TRN: US200723%%299
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-98CH10886
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; ALUMINIUM; BY-PRODUCTS; CADMIUM; COPPER; GALLIUM; GERMANIUM; INDIUM; INVENTORIES; LIFE CYCLE; MOLYBDENUM; PRODUCTION; SELENIUM; SOLAR CELLS; TELLURIUM; ZINC

Citation Formats

FTHENAKIS, V M, KIM, H C, and WANG, W. LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.. United States: N. p., 2007. Web. doi:10.2172/909957.
FTHENAKIS, V M, KIM, H C, & WANG, W. LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/909957
FTHENAKIS, V M, KIM, H C, and WANG, W. 2007. "LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/909957. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/909957.
@article{osti_909957,
title = {LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.},
author = {FTHENAKIS, V M and KIM, H C and WANG, W},
abstractNote = {Material flows and emissions in all the stages of production of zinc, copper, aluminum, cadmium, indium, germanium, gallium, selenium, tellurium, and molybdenum were investigated. These metals are used selectively in the manufacture of solar cells, and emission and energy factors in their production are used in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of photovoltaics. Significant changes have occurred in the production and associated emissions for these metals over the last 10 years, which are not described in the LCA databases. Furthermore, emission and energy factors for several of the by-products of the base metal production were lacking. This report aims in updating the life-cycle inventories associated with the production of the base metals (Zn, Cu, Al, Mo) and in defining the emission and energy allocations for the minor metals (Cd, In, Ge, Se, Te and Ga) used in photovoltaics.},
doi = {10.2172/909957},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/909957}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2007},
month = {Fri Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2007}
}