ENERGY GENERATION AND CO2 EMISSIONS OF PV SYSTEMS

Abstract

Objective of this paper is to review existing knowledge on energy requirements for manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) systems and to give some representative calculations for the energy pay-back time and the CO2 emissions. We will also investigate the effects of future enhancements in PV production technology in order to evaluate the long-term prospects of PV systems for CO2 mitigation. Both c-Si and thin film module technologies are analized. The CO2 mitigation potential and the importance of PV systems for sustainable development are also highlighted. In this paper we have reviewed the energy viability of photovoltaic energy technology to answer the question whether PV systems can generate suficient energy output in comparison with the energy input required during production of the system components.