Publication: Solution and vapour deposited lead perovskite solar cells: Ecotoxicity from a life cycle assessment perspective
Authors
Espinosa, Nieves ; Serrano-Luján, Lucía ; Urbina, Antonio ; Krebs, Frederik C.
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Publisher
Elsevier
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DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.02.013
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
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Abstract
We present a life cycle analysis (LCA) and an environmental impact analysis (EIA) of lead based
perovskite solar cells prepared according to the two most successfully reported literature methods that
comprise either vapour phase deposition or solution phase deposition. We have developed the inventory
for all the components employed for the two different device architectures that resemble respectively a
traditional dye sensitised solar cell (DSSC) and an inverted polymer solar cell (OPV). We analyse the
impacts from generation of 1 kWh of electricity and assume a lifetime of 1 year in the analysis and
further present a sensitivity analysis with the operational lifetime as a basis. We find that the major
impact comes from the preparation of the perovskite absorber layer due to the electrical energy required
in the manufacture and also make the striking observation that the impact of toxic lead(II)halides is very
limited compared to methylammoniumhalides employed. This applies during the raw materials
extraction, synthesis of the starting materials and manufacture of the perovskite solar cells and from
these points of view the lead based perovskite solar cells do not pose extra concerns when compared to
contending solar cell technologies in the cradle-to-gate scenario considered here. The environmental
impact of the perovskite solar cells in the operational phase and the decommissioning phase
representing a cradle-to-grave analysis is not currently possible and will have to await large scale
outdoor demonstration where emission to the environment during the operation and decommissioning
phase can be measured. The main conclusion is that in the cradle-to-gate analysis there are no
compelling reasons to dismiss lead based perovskites as a solar cell technology.
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