Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost of photovoltaic panels on Lake Street Parking Garage
Date
2014
Authors
Fan, Jiawei, author
Strong, Kelly, advisor
Glick, Scott, committee member
Paustian, Keith, committee member
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Abstract
In the U.S., the capacity of photovoltaic panels has already reached a level close to 14GW in 2014. The goal of the solar power industry is to meet 10% of U.S. peak electricity generation capacity by 2030 (Dincer, 2011). Photovoltaic panel systems have become a new trend to produce electric power. Solar radiation is an abundant, inexhaustible, clean and cheap energy source. By using solar energy, solar panels are considered a clean and green method to produce electric power. However, photovoltaic panels have impacts on the environment in the production process and end-of-life process. This thesis uses a methodology that combines life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) to analyze the life cycle impact and the cost of a PV system on a public garage located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The LCA method used in this thesis is a hybrid LCA, which is a combination of process based LCA and economic Input/Output LCA (EIO-LCA). The result of the analysis of LCA indicates that a solar panel power system does have some advantages in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gaseous toxic releases. However, solar panel systems have higher toxic releases to water and land than a traditional power plant. The result of LCC points out that the solar panel system on the roof of Lake Street Parking Garage cannot recover its cost during its 25-year life span.
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Subject
EIO-LCA
photovoltaic panel
life cycle cost
life cycle assessment