Sustainability evaluation of solar energy systems (SENSE)

Objective

The today's main challenges for the solar industry are the need to reduce prices for solar systems, the foreseeable scarceness of raw materials and the necessary improvement of the energy pay back time. The unsolved recycling issues will become a problem in the near future. The project SENSE will face these challenges by developing recycling strategies for a-Si, CIS and CdTe solar cells and by scientifically based analysis of the efficiency of the solar systems, based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). This has to consider production, use and End of Life(EoL) aspects of the complete systems to be holistic. As recycling is a possibility to save energy for the primary production of new materials, it also will affect the energy payback time positively, beneath the reduction of the material scarceness and the reduction of material costs.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › renewable energy › solar energy
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › waste management › waste treatment processes › recycling

Programme(s)

• FP5-EESD - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Energy, environment and sustainable development, 1998-2002"

Topic(s)

• 1.1.4.-5. - Key action Cleaner Energy Systems, including Renewable Energies

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

UNIVERSITAET STUTTGART

Address

32,pfaffenwaldring
70049 Stuttgart
Germany

Participants (7)

AMBIENTE ITALIA SRL

Italy

Address

C/o Ecobilancio Italia Srl, Via Vincenza 5/a
00185 Roma

CENTER FOR SOLAR ENERGY AND HYDROGEN RESEARCH BADEN-WÜRTEMBERG

Germany

Address

Hessbruehlstrasse 21c
70565 Stuttgart

FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.

Germany

Address

Joseph-von-fraunhofer-strasse 7
76327 Pfinztal

FREE ENERGY EUROPE SA

France

Address

Rue Léon-droux 2
62302 Lens

FUNDACION GAIKER

Spain

Address

Parque Tecnológico, Edificio 202
48170 Zamudio

UMICORE SA

Belgium

Address

7,kasteelstraat 7
2250 Olen

WUERTH SOLAR GMBH AND CO.KG

Germany

Address

Ludwigsburger Strasse 100
71672 Marbach Am Neckar