Carbon Reduction Potential Analysis of Photovoltaic Glass from a Life Cycle Perspective

FENG Qin'e; RUAN Xinhui; RUAN Zeyun; CHEN Linghong; SUN Rui; WU Weihong; ZHENG Chenghang

doi:10.20078/j.eep.20250907

Abstract：As a critical material for the rapidly expanding photovoltaic(PV)industry,PV glass is facing increasingly rigorous environmental scrutiny.A thorough investigation into its decarbonization potential is of paramount importance,not only for advancing the long-term sustainability of the entire PV sector from a life-cycle perspective but also for effectively navigating the complexities of emerging global green trade policies.This study employed a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment(LCA)methodology to evaluate the carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing of typical PV glass in China.We developed a robust,process-based life cycle carbon emission accounting model that focuses on the two pivotal stages of production:raw glass sheet formation and subsequent deep-processing treatments.To ensure a high degree of accuracy,we developed a hybrid allocation methodology grounded in the physical relationships of mass and area,tailored for activity-level data.Our quantitative analysis of a 2 mm thick,1 m2PV glass panel elucidates that the primary carbon emission hotspots are the combustion of fossil fuels(heavy oil and natural gas),raw material acquisition,and electricity consumption,which contribute 26.74％,24.84％,and 20.62％to the total carbon footprint,respectively.In contrast,ancillary activities such as the procurement of packaging materials,water resource consumption,and waste disposal have a negligible impact,collectively constituting less than 1％of the total emissions.A sensitivity analysis further identifies the consumption volumes of heavy oil and soda ash,along with the carbon emission factor of the electricity mix,as the most influential parameters affecting the product's overall carbon footprint.To chart a path toward a low-carbon future,a scenario analysis was conducted to quantify the technically feasible carbon mitigation potential.Five standalone low-carbon scenarios were modeled:(1)substituting fossil fuels with green hydrogen,(2)replacing them with green methanol,(3)increasing the proportion of natural gas,(4)optimizing the soda ash production process,and(5)powering operations with PV-generated electricity.These strategies were found to yield carbon reductions of 2.40 kg CO2-eq(30.14％),0.82 kg CO2-eq(10.21％),0.50 kg CO2-eq(6.31％),0.64 kg CO2 eq(8.07％),and 0.22 kg CO2-eq(2.77％)per panel,respectively.More significantly,a synergistic optimization scenario that integrates the use of hydrogen fuel,a decarbonized electricity grid,and an optimized soda ash supply chain demonstrated a substantial cumulative reduction potential of 41.11％.The findings underscore that the deep decarbonization of the PV glass sector is contingent upon the establishment of a coordinated,synergistic mechanism across the entire value chain.This requires concerted efforts and the implementation of systemic carbon reduction strategies through close collaboration between upstream raw material suppliers and downstream manufacturers.