A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND
This paper studies the environmental impact of two different forms of solar power generation in Thailand - that of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, and that of thin film amorphous silicon solar cells. It takes as its study two of the largest solar cell power plants of their kind in Thailand; a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE)
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Ecological Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.journalssystem.com/jeeng/A-comparison-of-the-environmental-impact-of-solar-power-generation-using-multicrystalline-silicon-and-thin-film-of-amorphous-silicon-solar-cells-case-study-in-Thailand,74386,0,2.html |
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| author | Wasin Khaenson Somchai Maneewan Chantana Punlek |
| author_facet | Wasin Khaenson Somchai Maneewan Chantana Punlek |
| author_sort | Wasin Khaenson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper studies the environmental impact of two different forms of solar power generation in Thailand - that of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, and that of thin film amorphous silicon solar cells. It takes as its study two of the largest solar cell power plants of their kind in Thailand; a multicrystalline silicon plant in the north (generating 90 MW) and a thin film amorphous silicon plant in the centre (generating 55 MW). The Life Cycle Assessment tool (LCA) was used to assess the environmental impact of each stage of the process, from the manufacture of the cells, through to their transportation, installation and eventual recycling. The functional unit of the study was the generation of 1 kWh of power transmitted and distributed by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). The environmental impact results were calculated in terms of eco-points (Pt) per functional unit of 1 kWh. The characterised data for 1 kWh of solar power generation was then compared with data for 1 kWh of combined cycle and thermal power generation (both in Thailand), using the same set of characterisation factors. After analyzing the results, both forms of solar power energy generation were found to impact upon the studied categories of Human Health, Ecosystem Quality and Resource Depletion, whilst also highlighting the importance of the solar cell module recycling process in decreasing the overall environmental impact. When the two solar cell technologies were compared, the overall impact of the multicrystalline silicon solar cell was found to be higher than that of the thin film amorphous silicon solar cell. Furthermore, when assessing the overall impact against non-renewable power generating technologies such as combined cycle and thermal power generation, the thin film amorphous silicon solar cells were found to have the lowest environmental impact of all technologies studied. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:58:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9fd9ef21e7234acc9579942d938d3249 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2299-8993 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:58:22Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | Polish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Ecological Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-9fd9ef21e7234acc9579942d938d32492022-12-22T03:32:16ZengPolish Society of Ecological Engineering (PTIE)Journal of Ecological Engineering2299-89932017-07-0118411410.12911/22998993/7438674386A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILANDWasin Khaenson0Somchai Maneewan1Chantana Punlek2Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, ThailandDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, ThailandDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, ThailandThis paper studies the environmental impact of two different forms of solar power generation in Thailand - that of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, and that of thin film amorphous silicon solar cells. It takes as its study two of the largest solar cell power plants of their kind in Thailand; a multicrystalline silicon plant in the north (generating 90 MW) and a thin film amorphous silicon plant in the centre (generating 55 MW). The Life Cycle Assessment tool (LCA) was used to assess the environmental impact of each stage of the process, from the manufacture of the cells, through to their transportation, installation and eventual recycling. The functional unit of the study was the generation of 1 kWh of power transmitted and distributed by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). The environmental impact results were calculated in terms of eco-points (Pt) per functional unit of 1 kWh. The characterised data for 1 kWh of solar power generation was then compared with data for 1 kWh of combined cycle and thermal power generation (both in Thailand), using the same set of characterisation factors. After analyzing the results, both forms of solar power energy generation were found to impact upon the studied categories of Human Health, Ecosystem Quality and Resource Depletion, whilst also highlighting the importance of the solar cell module recycling process in decreasing the overall environmental impact. When the two solar cell technologies were compared, the overall impact of the multicrystalline silicon solar cell was found to be higher than that of the thin film amorphous silicon solar cell. Furthermore, when assessing the overall impact against non-renewable power generating technologies such as combined cycle and thermal power generation, the thin film amorphous silicon solar cells were found to have the lowest environmental impact of all technologies studied.http://www.journalssystem.com/jeeng/A-comparison-of-the-environmental-impact-of-solar-power-generation-using-multicrystalline-silicon-and-thin-film-of-amorphous-silicon-solar-cells-case-study-in-Thailand,74386,0,2.htmllife cycle assessmentsolar power generationmulticrystalline silicon solar cellamorphous silicon solar cell |
| spellingShingle | Wasin Khaenson Somchai Maneewan Chantana Punlek A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND Journal of Ecological Engineering life cycle assessment solar power generation multicrystalline silicon solar cell amorphous silicon solar cell |
| title | A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND |
| title_full | A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND |
| title_fullStr | A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND |
| title_full_unstemmed | A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND |
| title_short | A COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION USING MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON AND THIN FILM OF AMORPHOUS SILICON SOLAR CELLS: CASE STUDY IN THAILAND |
| title_sort | comparison of the environmental impact of solar power generation using multicrystalline silicon and thin film of amorphous silicon solar cells case study in thailand |
| topic | life cycle assessment solar power generation multicrystalline silicon solar cell amorphous silicon solar cell |
| url | http://www.journalssystem.com/jeeng/A-comparison-of-the-environmental-impact-of-solar-power-generation-using-multicrystalline-silicon-and-thin-film-of-amorphous-silicon-solar-cells-case-study-in-Thailand,74386,0,2.html |
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