Life-Cycle Nitrogen Trifluoride Emissions from Photovoltaics

Amorphous- and nanocrystalline-silicon thin-film photovoltaic modules are made in high-throughput manufacturing lines that necessitate quickly cleaning the reactor. Using NF3, a potent greenhouse gas, as the cleaning agent triggered concerns as recent reports reveal that the atmospheric concentratio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2010-11, Vol.44 (22), p.8750-8757
Main Authors: Fthenakis, Vasilis, Clark, Daniel O, Moalem, Mehran, Chandler, Phil, Ridgeway, Robert G, Hulbert, Forrest E, Cooper, David B, Maroulis, Peter J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollutants - analysis
Applied sciences
Atmosphere - chemistry
CLEANING
Electric Power Supplies
Electronic Waste - analysis
Emissions
Energy and the Environment
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental science
Exact sciences and technology
Fluorides - analysis
GREENHOUSE GASES
Industrial Waste - analysis
INSOLATION
LIFE CYCLE
Manufactured Materials - analysis
MANUFACTURERS
MANUFACTURING
NITROGEN
Nitrogen Compounds - analysis
Photovoltaic cells
Pollution
SOLAR ENERGY
Thin films
Waste Management - methods
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Summary:Amorphous- and nanocrystalline-silicon thin-film photovoltaic modules are made in high-throughput manufacturing lines that necessitate quickly cleaning the reactor. Using NF3, a potent greenhouse gas, as the cleaning agent triggered concerns as recent reports reveal that the atmospheric concentrations of this gas have increased significantly. We quantified the life-cycle emissions of NF3 in photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing, on the basis of actual measurements at the facilities of a major producer of NF3 and of a manufacturer of PV end-use equipment. From these, we defined the best practices and technologies that are the most likely to keep worldwide atmospheric concentrations of NF3 at very low radiative forcing levels. For the average U.S. insolation and electricity-grid conditions, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manufacturing and using NF3 in current PV a-Si and tandem a-Si/nc-Si facilities add 2 and 7 g CO2eq/kWh, which can be displaced within the first 1−4 months of the PV system life.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es100401y