Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids

Innovative solar panels for building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal applications have been developed at the University of Lleida, in Spain. The modules consist of cylinders filled with deionised water or isopropyl alcohol and the solar cells are immersed in these liquids. This study a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Lamnatou, Chrysovalantou, Moreno Bellostes, Àlex, Riverola Lacasta, Alberto, Maestro Balaguer, Santiago, Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universitat de Lleida (UdL)
Repository:Repositori Obert UdL
OAI Identifier:oai:repositori.udl.cat:10459.1/468497
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123818
https://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/468497
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA)
Photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) modules
Liquid-immersion-cooling systems
Energy payback time (EPBT)
Greenhouse-gas payback time (GHG PBT)
id ES_84c8d5e10338aceca5b7feee768a7d27
oai_identifier_str oai:repositori.udl.cat:10459.1/468497
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluidsLamnatou, ChrysovalantouMoreno Bellostes, ÀlexRiverola Lacasta, AlbertoMaestro Balaguer, SantiagoChemisana Villegas, DanielEnvironmental life cycle assessment (LCA)Photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) modulesLiquid-immersion-cooling systemsEnergy payback time (EPBT)Greenhouse-gas payback time (GHG PBT)Innovative solar panels for building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal applications have been developed at the University of Lleida, in Spain. The modules consist of cylinders filled with deionised water or isopropyl alcohol and the solar cells are immersed in these liquids. This study aims at analysing the environmental performance of these systems using life-cycle assessment (cumulative energy demand; global warming potential), ecoinvent database/SimaPro software and ICE (inventory of carbon and energy). Considering both configurations and their additional components, the major part of the cylinders (polymethyl methacrylate), the metallic frames (stainless steel), the PV cells (mono-Si; passivated emitter and rear contact), the liquid mix/ isopropyl alcohol, the motors and the motor-support structures show the highest environmental impacts. The impact varies between 411 and 547 kg CO 2 2. eq of 80–82 kg CO 2 2. eq /m . per m . Recycling of certain materials offers an impact reduction Regarding energy and greenhouse-gas payback time, multiple scenarios have been examined (with/without recycling; cities: Barcelona, Genoa, Lisbon). The values range between 2.7 and 8.2 years, i.e. lower in comparison to system lifespan (15 years). In most scenarios, there is a difference of around one year between the water-based configuration and the one with isopropyl alcohol (the water-based option shows lower values).The authors would like to thank the Spanish MCIN for the PID2022-142601OB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and TED2021-132843 B-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 grants. D. Chemisana thanks Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) for the ICREA Acadèmia award. Chr. Lamnatou is an Associate Professor of the Serra Húnter programme. A. Moreno is a Lecturer of the Serra Húnter programme. Furthermore, this research was supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya (2021 SGR 01618). The short version of this work was presented at the ZCBE conference, 3–5 July 2024, Nottingham, UK. This work is a substantial extension of the conference paper.Elsevier2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123818https://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/468497reponame:Repositori Obert UdL instname:Universitat de Lleida (UdL)Inglésinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023/ PID2022-142601OB-I00Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123818Renewable Energy, 2025, vol.255, núm. 123818Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Internationalcc-by-nc, (c) Lamnatou et al., 2025info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/oai:repositori.udl.cat:10459.1/4684972026-06-24T12:42:17Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
title Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
spellingShingle Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
Lamnatou, Chrysovalantou
Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA)
Photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) modules
Liquid-immersion-cooling systems
Energy payback time (EPBT)
Greenhouse-gas payback time (GHG PBT)
title_short Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
title_full Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
title_fullStr Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
title_full_unstemmed Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
title_sort Environmental life-cycle assessment of building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal systems consisting of cylinders filled with dielectric fluids
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Lamnatou, Chrysovalantou
Moreno Bellostes, Àlex
Riverola Lacasta, Alberto
Maestro Balaguer, Santiago
Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
author Lamnatou, Chrysovalantou
author_facet Lamnatou, Chrysovalantou
Moreno Bellostes, Àlex
Riverola Lacasta, Alberto
Maestro Balaguer, Santiago
Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
author_role author
author2 Moreno Bellostes, Àlex
Riverola Lacasta, Alberto
Maestro Balaguer, Santiago
Chemisana Villegas, Daniel
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA)
Photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) modules
Liquid-immersion-cooling systems
Energy payback time (EPBT)
Greenhouse-gas payback time (GHG PBT)
topic Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA)
Photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) modules
Liquid-immersion-cooling systems
Energy payback time (EPBT)
Greenhouse-gas payback time (GHG PBT)
description Innovative solar panels for building-integrated concentrating photovoltaic/thermal applications have been developed at the University of Lleida, in Spain. The modules consist of cylinders filled with deionised water or isopropyl alcohol and the solar cells are immersed in these liquids. This study aims at analysing the environmental performance of these systems using life-cycle assessment (cumulative energy demand; global warming potential), ecoinvent database/SimaPro software and ICE (inventory of carbon and energy). Considering both configurations and their additional components, the major part of the cylinders (polymethyl methacrylate), the metallic frames (stainless steel), the PV cells (mono-Si; passivated emitter and rear contact), the liquid mix/ isopropyl alcohol, the motors and the motor-support structures show the highest environmental impacts. The impact varies between 411 and 547 kg CO 2 2. eq of 80–82 kg CO 2 2. eq /m . per m . Recycling of certain materials offers an impact reduction Regarding energy and greenhouse-gas payback time, multiple scenarios have been examined (with/without recycling; cities: Barcelona, Genoa, Lisbon). The values range between 2.7 and 8.2 years, i.e. lower in comparison to system lifespan (15 years). In most scenarios, there is a difference of around one year between the water-based configuration and the one with isopropyl alcohol (the water-based option shows lower values).
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123818
https://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/468497
url https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123818
https://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/468497
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023/ PID2022-142601OB-I00
Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123818
Renewable Energy, 2025, vol.255, núm. 123818
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
cc-by-nc, (c) Lamnatou et al., 2025
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
rights_invalid_str_mv Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
cc-by-nc, (c) Lamnatou et al., 2025
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositori Obert UdL
instname:Universitat de Lleida (UdL)
instname_str Universitat de Lleida (UdL)
reponame_str Repositori Obert UdL
collection Repositori Obert UdL
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869412250171736064
score 15.81155

Similar Items