Impact of large-scale implementation of photovoltaic devices to CO <inf>2</inf> emissions

Abstract

Our civilization faces growing prospects of climate problems. They are blamed to current consumption of fossil fuels (FF) for electricity generation in FF plants. This yields to massive CO2 release into atmosphere and environment pollution, increase in average temperature of earth and climate problems. One way to prevent this is to use photovoltaic (PV) devices instead of FF plants for electricity generation. To replace some of FF plants, one may erect PV devices. However, this uses existing electrical energy for their construction. In this research, theoretical approach is developed to calculate the yearly energy consumption and the yearly CO2 emission during implementation of the PV devices. Then, the impact of large-scale implementation of PVs to increase and decrease in CO2 emissions is studied. It is found out that there may exist an immediate high increase in CO2 emissions and after that its decrease. The magnitude of this decrease depends on CO2 payback time (TCP) for introduced PV device. Lower TCP yields very low CO2 emission for the energy system, while higher TCP may increase CO2 emission of the energy system within its life time. © 2011 IEEE.