Process simulation and digitalization for comprehensive life-cycle sustainability assessment of Silicon photovoltaic systems

Over the last decade, the global solar PV industry has grown at a rate of more than 35% annually, reaching record levels and outpacing annual conventional power capacity additions and will continue its trajectory to reach terawatt-level deployment by 2022-2023 and an estimated 8.5 TW (cumulative) by 2050. The global c-Si cell and PV module production capacity at the end of 2020 is assumed to have further increased to over 200 GWp due to continued PERC capacity expansion. To assess the potential contribution photovoltaics (PV) can make to decarbonization, and to achieving the European and global sustainable development and circular economy goals, the resource efficiency and sustainability of photovoltaic life cycle systems need to be evaluated. Using process simulation, we create detailed digital representations of entire PV life cycles. These include all raw material and PV production steps, as well as recycling processes that close material loops and aim to recover valuable materials from end-of-life modules. The simulations make use of the physical, chemical, and thermodynamic processes that govern each step in the life cycle to deliver a robust foundation from which to determine the potential impacts of individual processes and the system on resource consumption, resource efficiency, the environment, and technoeconomic parameters. In this paper, we focus on the assessment of potential recycling, wafer thickness, and carbon tax effects on the resource efficiency, carbon footprint, and technoeconomic performance of the system.