Abstract
Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is one of the key engines powering the energy transition. An important reason for PV’s large role in the energy transition is its perception as a renewable and sustainable energy technology with a low environmental impact. However, it remains clear that production, transport, installation and operation of PV systems require the consumption of materials and energy, which has a social and environmental impact non-negligible. The objective of PV massive installation is to reduce drastically the high emissions of greenhouse gases associated with our largely fossil fuelbased current energy system. Although PV has a relatively small environmental impact per unit of electricity generated, the huge role that PV needs to play in the energy transition implies that enormous amounts of energy and materials must be consumed for its massive deployment. This gives rise to two key issues to be addressed by R&I efforts. First, the environmental impact of the whole chain of manufacturing and operation of PV systems must be (further) minimized. Secondly, as the numbers of PV systems on the market rise, resource efficiency is becoming an increasingly critical factor for the long-term success of the sector. For a truly sustainable transition towards a low-carbon future, renewable energy technology must be close to 100% recyclable and leanly manufactured, i.e. circular. In this context, the ETIP-PV has developed a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the PV sector in 2022. One of the five challenges of the SRIA is focused on the enhancement of lifetime, reliability, and sustainability of PV technology. The first objective of the Challenge is dedicated to Sustainable and Circular Solar PV. The production, operation, and disposal of any product carries with it an environmental burden. The minimization of the environmental burden for the whole lifetime requires minimization of material used and the selection of materials that create fewer toxic by-products, allow a longer life, are more recyclable, are lighter, less energy intensive in production, and need fewer scarce resources. In line with the material efficiency hierarchy, resources should be kept in productive use as long as possible and at the highest quality possible. In this work we will present the results in terms of updating KPIs and targets for 2030 of several expert meetings leveraging on the expert pool of the ETIP-PV. We will also link the results with market growth scenarios to present how the targets can help in reducing the overall environmental impact of the PV sector. Thus, a global strategy for sustainability is shared with policymakers, stakeholders and society to create a roadmap for PV sustainable and bankable from now to 2030.