Abstract
In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) of Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) system is carried out to analyze its environmental impact on global warming (GW) and abiotic resource depletion (ARD). The CdTe PV system consists of CdTe PV module, power conditioning system (PCS) and balance of system (BOS). The global warming potential (GWP) of CdTe PV system is 11.1g CO2 eq./kWh under the condition of 1,810.4 kWh/m2/yr, 11.2% of conversion efficiency, 80% of performance ratio. The ARD of system is 1.20E-02/yr/kWh. The CdTe PV module accounts for 62.9% and 59.3% of the GWPs and ARDs of the entire CdTe PV system, respectively. And energy payback time (EPBT) which is the time required to compensate the energy used during the life cycle of PV system with avoided primary energy reduction by using PV system is estimated. The EPBT of CdTe PV system is 0.69 years, meaning that the electricity generated by the PV is regarded as net energy profit.
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