Environmental impacts and economic feasibility of end of life photovoltaic panels in Australia: A comprehensive assessment

Mahmoudi, S; Huda, N; Behnia, M

Environmental impacts and economic feasibility of end of life photovoltaic panels in Australia: A comprehensive assessment

Mahmoudi, S Huda, N Behnia, M

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Cleaner Production, 2020, 260
Issue Date:: 2020-07-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Mahmoudi, S
dc.contributor.author	Huda, N
dc.contributor.author	Behnia, M
dc.date.accessioned	2021-05-23T09:08:58Z
dc.date.available	2021-05-23T09:08:58Z
dc.date.issued	2020-07-01
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Cleaner Production, 2020, 260
dc.identifier.issn	0959-6526
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1786
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149075
dc.description.abstract	The severe challenges of the end-of-life management of photovoltaic panels are predicted to enter its critical stage in Australia from the early 2030s owing to the wide-reaching deployment of PV panels in the past two decades. There appears to be a lack of holistic strategy concerning the environmental impacts of disposal scenarios and also enacting of comprehensive local policy and regulations. As a way forward in the promotion of the sustainable management of this complex waste flow, this study performed an inclusive life cycle assessment utilizing SimaPro 9.0.029, and an economic feasibility analysis employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method for various scenarios. The performed LCA in this paper highlighted the environmental burden and credit responsibilities of an industrial scale treatment procedure proposed for Australia. Findings from the analysis indicated that the domestic treatment of EoL PV module is feasible and includes high-profit margins while making a considerable reduction on environmental burdens and resource losses. The outcome of the economic feasibility assessment has shown some promising numbers for 20,000 tonnes per year of annual PV waste flow. Hence, the variation of the critical economic factors could not affect the feasibility of the treatment pathway. However, the plant with a yearly capacity of 10,000 tonnes EoL PV panels did not show profitability at any condition unless the Australian government considers a special tax-exemption during the loan lifetime. Finally, this study illuminates toward the sustainable management of EoL PV panels and circular economy pathway by providing useful concrete evidence to the decision-makers.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCI LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Cleaner Production
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120996
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	0907 Environmental Engineering, 0910 Manufacturing Engineering, 0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.title	Environmental impacts and economic feasibility of end of life photovoltaic panels in Australia: A comprehensive assessment
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	260
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering
utslib.for	0910 Manufacturing Engineering
utslib.for	0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-05-23T09:08:55Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	260

Abstract:

The severe challenges of the end-of-life management of photovoltaic panels are predicted to enter its critical stage in Australia from the early 2030s owing to the wide-reaching deployment of PV panels in the past two decades. There appears to be a lack of holistic strategy concerning the environmental impacts of disposal scenarios and also enacting of comprehensive local policy and regulations. As a way forward in the promotion of the sustainable management of this complex waste flow, this study performed an inclusive life cycle assessment utilizing SimaPro 9.0.029, and an economic feasibility analysis employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method for various scenarios. The performed LCA in this paper highlighted the environmental burden and credit responsibilities of an industrial scale treatment procedure proposed for Australia. Findings from the analysis indicated that the domestic treatment of EoL PV module is feasible and includes high-profit margins while making a considerable reduction on environmental burdens and resource losses. The outcome of the economic feasibility assessment has shown some promising numbers for 20,000 tonnes per year of annual PV waste flow. Hence, the variation of the critical economic factors could not affect the feasibility of the treatment pathway. However, the plant with a yearly capacity of 10,000 tonnes EoL PV panels did not show profitability at any condition unless the Australian government considers a special tax-exemption during the loan lifetime. Finally, this study illuminates toward the sustainable management of EoL PV panels and circular economy pathway by providing useful concrete evidence to the decision-makers.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149075