The Environmental Impact

of Solar Photovoltaic Cells

The Energy Challenge and How to

Solve it with Solar Cells

Original Presentation by J. M. Pearce, 2006

Updated by A. Shahed and J.M. Pearce, 2010
Email: profpearce@gmail.com
 The Energy Challenge
• World population is expanding rapidly
and will likely reach over ~9 billion
before stabilizing
• Energy use is directly proportional to
standard of living
• Energy demand is skyrocketing
• Standard methods of producing energy
have a limited supply and have
unacceptable impacts on the
environment
 The Population
Explosion
• UN Projections to 2050 place
population level at ~9 billion

• Exponential population
rise with advancements in
energy production and
technology
 Human Development
Index

HDI: longevity (life expectancy), educational attainment, and

standard of living (gross domestic product per capita)
 World Energy
Consumption

By Fuel
Type
1980-
2030
Future Energy Needs
 How to Produce
Electricity?
• Conversion of mechanical energy into
electricity (hydro, wind)
• Conversion of chemical energy into electricity
(coal, natural gas, etc.)
• Conversion of nuclear energy into electricity
• Conversion of photon energy into electricity
Energy Sources – Global
Primary Energy Supplies
Peak Oil (U.S. Production Peak – 1970)

• Measured in 1000 barrels per day

• World energy reserves and peak under
considerable debate…
U.S. and World Natural Gas
Supplies
World and U.S. Coal Reserves
Even if we discover
more fossil fuels….
We can not burn what we
already have.
 Recent Global Atmospheric
Carbon Dioxide Concentration

From 1860 to 1990

the industrial nations
released 185 billion
tons of carbon into the
atmosphere from
burning fossil fuels.
Today 6 + billion tons
of CO2 are released
into the air every year!
Historical CO2 Concentration

380ppmv
Global Warming
 This is the Consensus
View
 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

 In 1995, over 2,500 scientists representing more than 80

countries analyzed over 20,000 articles from the relevant
literature

 It is now quite clear that certain gases, such as carbon

dioxide, play a crucial role in determining the earth's
climate by preventing heat from escaping the atmosphere.

 Temp. gains up to 14oF!!!

 Potential Consequences :
Manageable to Catastrophic

• In 50 years Earth will be ~3-5 degrees hotter

• Up to 14 ft rise in global sea levels. (3ft floods Florida &

NYC)

• Weather patterns disrupted: droughts in some places and

torrential rain in others – disturbing agricultural production.

• EPA estimates that by 2050 the southern boundary of forest

ecosystems could move northward by 600km.

• Massive forest death and species extinction.

Global Temperatures for Various Growth
Scenarios
Solar Photovoltaic Energy
as a Solution to the
Energy Challenge
 Environmental Benefits
• During use PV produces no :
atmospheric emissions
radioactive waste
• During use PV produces no greenhouse
gases so it will help offset CO2 emissions
and global climate destabilization
– PV does have an embodied energy
and embodied CO2 emissions

• PV curtails air pollution, which produces

acid rain, soil damage, and human
respiratory ailments.
 Environmental Benefit of a
4 kWp PV system
This solar energy array would prevent:
• 2.4 tons of coal from being burned
• 6.2 tons of CO2 = decreasing the greenhouse
effect
• over 3,600 gallons of water from being used
• ~34 pounds each of NOx and SO2 from
polluting the atmosphere
• 1.8 pounds of particulates from causing a
health hazard (and no nuclear waste)
EACH YEAR - FOR 30+ YEARS!
Busting PV Related
Myths
 Myth 1:
PV use more energy to
make than they produce
over their lifetime
For cells in production
now the energy payback is
between 6 months and 5
years!
 Net Energy for 1kW-hr invested in PV Roof in Detroit, MI 14+
breeds
15
14
c-Si Low
13 c-Si High
12
p-Si Low
11
p-Si High
Net Energy (kW-hrs)

10
9 a-Si Low
8
7 a-Si High
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
-1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718192021222324252627282930

Time (Years)
Built in
PV

Integrated into the roof.

Integrated into an awning
over a back porch California,
generates electricity while
shading the family's outdoor
activities
Additional BIPV
 Solar Shingles

• Various styles of PV
shingles are available

• Solar Shingles are rated at 17W

• Lightweight and Flexible
• 20 year warranty on power output
 Aesthetic
Applications
• A Canadian team
fashioned a window with
solar electric cells and a
motif of autumn leaves

• Semi-Transparent and
Transparent PV cells

• Building Integration
 Myth 2:
There is Not Enough
Land
• Each day the sun casts more
energy on the earth than all
people would consume in 27
years

• The entire world’s energy

needs could be provided by
½ the area of the Gobi desert
covered with PV.
 What about in the USA?

• 100 miles by 100 miles in Nevada would

provide the equivalent of the entire US
electrical demand

• Distributed (to sites with less sun) it would

take less than 25% of the area covered by US
roads.
 Solar Cell Land Area
Requirements for the World’s
Energy with Solar PV

6 Boxes at 3.3
TW Each
 Solar Cells
• PV cells can provide a
substantial portion of
energy needs.
• For the US, only 3% of
the land area would be
required using 1999
efficiency measures

• PV technology is improving
continuously
• Greater efficiencies
• Lower costs
 Myth 3:
We do not have Enough Raw
Materials
• Si - 2nd most abundant element in
Earth’s crust

• The amorphous silicon cells

manufactured from one ton of
sand could produce as much
electricity as burning 500,000 tons
of coal.

• Philadelphia home
 Solar Photovoltaics
is the Future

• Photovoltaic technology provides an effective means of

supplying clean energy
• The technology is ready to use and proven
• There is extensive research and development providing
opportunities for higher efficiencies and new market players
• Abundant silicon resource
• Will play a major role in tackling our increasing energy
needs and curbing our GGH emissions
 Acknowledgements
• This is the fifth in a series of
presentations created for the solar
energy community to assist in the
dissemination of information about solar
photovoltaics.
• This work was supported from a grant
from the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education.
• The author would like to acknowledge
assistance in collecting information for
this presentation from Heather Zielonka.
The full series can be found here:
http://www.appropedia.org/Solar_Photovoltaic_Open_Lectures