Perovskite photovoltaics for aerospace applications − life cycle assessment and cost analysis

Abstract

In the past few years, we have witnessed a rapid evolution of perovskite solar cells. In this study, we employ life cycle assessment (LCA) to identify the potential environmental impacts of perovskite solar cells (PSC) optimised for aerospace applications but could be used in conventional terrestrial applications too. One PSC module is manufactured by spin coating equipped with ITO glass and gold cathode. The other PSC module is manufactured by slot-die coating with a PET layer and carbon cathode and gold cathode respectively. Life cycle assessment is employed to compare potential environmental impact of two manufacture methods by impact method of Recipe(H), as well as the fabrication cost of PSC module. The primary data of material and energy used for fabricating PSCs are collected from spin coating with lab scale and slot-die coating with pilot scale. The life cycle impact assessment of the PSC module in the pilot scale shows much lower in all the assessed 18 impact categories than in the lab scale thanks to the material use efficiency and reducing energy consumption. Gold as a conduct electrode has the highest impacts in both spin coating and slot-die coating modules. Calculating with a two-year lifetime (typical of aerospace applications), the impact of global warming potential from the PSC module with carbon electrode with pilot scale used in a terrestrial application is calculated to be 12 g/kWh.