Significant factors for enhancing the life cycle assessment of photovoltaic thermal air collector

Abstract

Due to the rapid industrialization and development across the entire globe, there is the increasing demand for energy. However, the energy sources from fossil fuels are not abundant in every part of the world. India has to import fuel from other parts of the world which consumes a major portion of Government funds. So, currently improving solar energy technologies efficiency is one of the most promising researches in India. This study is mostly about life cycle assessment (LCA) of photovoltaic thermal (PVT) air collectors. All the important parameters like Energy payback time (EPBT), Energy production factors (EPF), Lifecycle conversion efficiency (LCCE), Embodied energy, Life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) and carbon emissions are investigated in this study as well. The role of these parameters in the LCA study is depicted in this study since LCA greatly impacts the effectiveness and cost of PVT air collector. Results revealed that the EPBT, GPBT, EPF, and LCCE are in the range of 0.8 to 14 years, 1 to 4 years, 0.4 to 22, and 0.10 to 2.86.