Are alpine floatovoltaics the way forward? Life-cycle environmental impacts and energy payback time of the worlds’ first high-altitude floating solar power plant

• DOI: 10.1016/j.seta.2024.103880
• Publication Date: 2024-07-09T09:13:51Z
• Authors: Alena Frehner; Matthias Stucki; René Itten
• Keywords: Payback period

Floating photovoltaics (FPV) and high-altitude PV installations are increasingly gaining importance in the sustainable energy sector, each technology holding its own potential. A pioneering FPV installation Switzerland represents first implementation of combining two technologies. In order to determine environmental performance such an installation, present study examines life-cycle impact world's system, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Our results record greenhouse gas emissions 94 g CO2–eq per kWh electricity produced by system. The non-renewable primary demand amounts 10′810 oil-eq/kWp, which equals payback time 2.8 years. Environmental hotspots life cycle were found be production panels, due wafer production, mounting dominated processes aluminium. Comparison other identifies system as main point issue a more intensive aluminium use. It was that can generally compete with alternative systems lowland, impacts lying range −45 % + 15 %, while being largely outperformed ground-mounted at high altitude. By implementing measures transitioning renewable energies panel supply chains, well reducing use for hold great potential help meet growing sources.