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Remanufacturing Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules-A Holistic Case Study
Dmitry Bogachuk1, Peter van der Windt1,2, Lukas Wagner1,3
1Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstr. 2, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
ACS Sustainable Resource Management
|April 3, 2024
Summary
A new method enables remanufacturing of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by reusing components, significantly reducing environmental impact. This approach recovers nearly 90% of initial performance and lowers the global warming potential of solar energy.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are nearing commercialization, but effective recycling and remanufacturing methods for encapsulated modules are lacking.
- Current recycling approaches for PSCs often involve material degradation, limiting reuse potential and environmental benefits.
- Life-cycle assessments are crucial for understanding the environmental footprint of photovoltaic technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate a novel method for remanufacturing encapsulated perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and modules.
- To assess the environmental impact, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, associated with PSC remanufacturing.
- To enable the direct reuse of valuable materials from end-of-life PSCs for new device fabrication.
Main Methods:
- A detailed life-cycle assessment was conducted to identify key areas for emission reduction.
- A novel thermally assisted mechanochemical approach was developed to selectively remove encapsulants, electrodes, and perovskite absorbers.
- The recovered materials were reused to fabricate new PSCs, and their performance was evaluated.
Main Results:
- The developed remanufacturing process successfully recovered and reused major device constituents, achieving nearly 90% of the initial PSC performance.
- This method is the first experimental demonstration of remanufacturing PSCs with essential commercial components like encapsulants and edge-seals.
- Remanufacturing reduced the module's global warming potential by up to 33% compared to traditional recycling, with a CO2-footprint potentially as low as 15 g/kWh.
Conclusions:
- A thermally assisted mechanochemical approach offers a viable and environmentally favorable strategy for remanufacturing perovskite solar cells.
- This remanufacturing process significantly reduces the environmental impact of PSCs, making them competitive with silicon-based photovoltaics.
- The developed method shows potential for universal application across various PSC architectures, particularly n-i-p types.
