Title :
An assessment of the environmental impacts of thin film cadmium telluride modules based on life cycle analysis
Author :
Hynes, K.M. ; Baumann, A.E. ; Hill, R.
Author_Institution :
Newcastle Photovoltaics Centre, Northumbria Univ., Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Abstract :
Life cycle analysis has identified the production and decommissioning/disposal of thin film CdTe modules as the stages which have potentially the most severe environmental impacts. This paper investigates these stages with respect to materials, energy input and possible environmental and health implications
Keywords :
II-VI semiconductors; cadmium compounds; health hazards; semiconductor materials; semiconductor thin films; solar cell arrays; solar cells; waste disposal; CdTe; decommissioning; energy input; environmental impacts; health impacts; life cycle analysis; materials; solar cells; thin film CdTe modules disposal; thin film cadmium telluride PV modules; Cadmium compounds; Costs; Environmental economics; Large-scale systems; Photovoltaic cells; Power generation economics; Production; Raw materials; Transistors; Waste materials;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on
Conference_Location :
Waikoloa, HI
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1460-3
DOI :
10.1109/WCPEC.1994.520119
