A call to solar cell makers: Aim to reduce your carbon footprint

As the world tackles climate change and solar energy approaches grid parity, the PV industry should begin to address the carbon footprint of photovoltaic module manufacturing to deliver truly green energy, according to Linde. For example, it says, manufacturers shouldn’t be tempted to adopt lower-cost solutions without considering the overall impact on the long-term sustainability of the industry.

By using fluorine instead of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 17,200 times that of CO2, the CO2 payback time for thin-film PV modules could be cut significantly.
“As grid parity becomes ever closer to a reality, we as an industry need to start channelling our efforts towards reducing the carbon footprint of solar cell manufacturing,” said Dean O’Connor, head of electronics market development and technology at Linde Gases Division. “Environmental concerns continue to dominate the global agenda, so green parity is an inevitable important new area of focus for suppliers and manufacturers.”

During the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Linde Gases Division plans to bring together industry experts from M+W Zander, Oerlikon, Suniva, Malibu and EuPD Research, to host a seminar, “From grid parity to green parity — sustainability in an era of overwhelming cost pressure.” The programme will explore methods to improve sustainability in manufacturing, and will also feature case studies from current cell and module makers.

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