Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates
The shift toward renewable energy resources, and photovoltaic systems specifically, has gained a huge focus in the past two decades. This study aimed to assess several environmental and economic impacts of a photovoltaic system that installed on the rooftop of an industrial facility in Dubai, United...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/22/8765 |
| _version_ | 1827644539215544320 |
|---|---|
| author | Haneen Abuzaid Fatin Samara |
| author_facet | Haneen Abuzaid Fatin Samara |
| author_sort | Haneen Abuzaid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The shift toward renewable energy resources, and photovoltaic systems specifically, has gained a huge focus in the past two decades. This study aimed to assess several environmental and economic impacts of a photovoltaic system that installed on the rooftop of an industrial facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The life cycle assessment method was employed to study all the flows and evaluate the environmental impacts, while several economic indicators were calculated to assess the feasibility and profitability of this photovoltaic system. The results showed that the production processes contributed the most to the environmental impacts, where the total primary energy demand was 1152 MWh for the whole photovoltaic system, the total global warming potential was 6.83 × 10<sup>–2</sup> kg CO<sub>2</sub>-eq, the energy payback time was 2.15 years, the carbon dioxide payback time was 1.87 years, the acidification potential was 2.87 × 10<sup>–4</sup> kg SO<sub>2</sub>-eq, eutrophication potential was 2.45 × 10<sup>–5</sup> kg PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3</sup>-eq, the ozone layer depletion potential was 4.685 × 10<sup>–9</sup> kgCFC-11-eq, the photochemical ozone creation potential was 3.81 × 10<sup>–5</sup> kg C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>-eq, and the human toxicity potential was 2.38 × 10<sup>–2</sup> kg1,4-DB-eq for the defined function unit of the photovoltaic system, while the economic impact indicators for the whole system resulted in a 3.5 year payback period, the benefit to cost ratio of 11.8, and 0.142 AED/kWh levelized cost of electricity. This was the first study to comprehensively consider all of these impact indicators together. These findings are beneficial inputs for policy- and decision-makers, photovoltaic panel manufacturers, and photovoltaic contractors to enhance the sustainability of their processes and improve the environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:21:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4b47527791f4206835ab44ac4c93438 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:21:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4b47527791f4206835ab44ac4c934382023-11-24T08:18:13ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-11-011522876510.3390/en15228765Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab EmiratesHaneen Abuzaid0Fatin Samara1Department of Industrial Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab EmiratesThe shift toward renewable energy resources, and photovoltaic systems specifically, has gained a huge focus in the past two decades. This study aimed to assess several environmental and economic impacts of a photovoltaic system that installed on the rooftop of an industrial facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The life cycle assessment method was employed to study all the flows and evaluate the environmental impacts, while several economic indicators were calculated to assess the feasibility and profitability of this photovoltaic system. The results showed that the production processes contributed the most to the environmental impacts, where the total primary energy demand was 1152 MWh for the whole photovoltaic system, the total global warming potential was 6.83 × 10<sup>–2</sup> kg CO<sub>2</sub>-eq, the energy payback time was 2.15 years, the carbon dioxide payback time was 1.87 years, the acidification potential was 2.87 × 10<sup>–4</sup> kg SO<sub>2</sub>-eq, eutrophication potential was 2.45 × 10<sup>–5</sup> kg PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3</sup>-eq, the ozone layer depletion potential was 4.685 × 10<sup>–9</sup> kgCFC-11-eq, the photochemical ozone creation potential was 3.81 × 10<sup>–5</sup> kg C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>-eq, and the human toxicity potential was 2.38 × 10<sup>–2</sup> kg1,4-DB-eq for the defined function unit of the photovoltaic system, while the economic impact indicators for the whole system resulted in a 3.5 year payback period, the benefit to cost ratio of 11.8, and 0.142 AED/kWh levelized cost of electricity. This was the first study to comprehensively consider all of these impact indicators together. These findings are beneficial inputs for policy- and decision-makers, photovoltaic panel manufacturers, and photovoltaic contractors to enhance the sustainability of their processes and improve the environment.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/22/8765life cycle assessment (LCA)photovoltaic panels (PV)environmental impact assessmenteconomic impact assessment |
| spellingShingle | Haneen Abuzaid Fatin Samara Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates Energies life cycle assessment (LCA) photovoltaic panels (PV) environmental impact assessment economic impact assessment |
| title | Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full | Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_fullStr | Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_short | Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of a Photovoltaic Rooftop System in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_sort | environmental and economic impact assessments of a photovoltaic rooftop system in the united arab emirates |
| topic | life cycle assessment (LCA) photovoltaic panels (PV) environmental impact assessment economic impact assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/22/8765 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT haneenabuzaid environmentalandeconomicimpactassessmentsofaphotovoltaicrooftopsystemintheunitedarabemirates AT fatinsamara environmentalandeconomicimpactassessmentsofaphotovoltaicrooftopsystemintheunitedarabemirates |