Comprehensive prospective environmental assessment of innovative photovoltaic technologies: Integration into electricity grids in Finland, Germany, and Spain

Abstract

This study evaluates the environmental performance of advanced solar photovoltaic technologies, including floating, bifacial ground-mounted, and building-integrated photovoltaics systems, compared to conventional technologies in Finland, Germany and Spain from 2022 to 2050. A novel aspect of this research is the integration of multiple photovoltaics technologies, time horizons (2022, 2030, and 2050), and climatic zones, providing a more complete understanding of their lifecycle impacts. The study uses a prospective life cycle assessment approach, offering scenario-based projections to assess future environmental impacts under changing energy mixes and climatic conditions. The results highlight the critical role of local solar irradiation, as seen in the higher carbon footprint of floating photovoltaic systems in Murcia (30.2 gCO2/kWh, 2022) than in Lappeenranta (15.7 gCO2/kWh). Over time, environmental impacts decrease significantly; floating photovoltaics in Murcia reduces to 17.5 gCO2/kWh in 2050, and bifacial systems drop from to 14.9 gCO2/kWh. Overall, bifacial systems have the lowest environmental impact, followed by floating photovoltaics, while building-integrated systems show the highest impact. The findings highlight the critical importance of transitioning to renewable energy in electricity grids to reduce environmental impacts, while emphasizing the role of location-specific factors, technological advancements, and evolving energy systems in shaping the environmental performance of photovoltaics technologies.