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Forest management plans often suggest that economic, ecological, and/or social sustainability will be achieved if the proposed management actions are followed. Using forest plans developed by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Republic of Turkey, the purposes of this study were to (i) extract those statements that suggest sustainability will be achieved and (ii) assess whether there exist statistical differences between the two countries’ plans and the emphases of the findings. A content analysis and non-parametric statistical tests were employed to measure the frequency of a set of terms related to sustainability and to estimate significant differences in the use of sustainability terms in the plans sampled. Results suggest that ecological aspects are dominant in forest plans from both countries. While silviculture, sustained yield, and multiple use were the most frequently used terms in Turkish plans, the occurrences of conservation and recreation were significantly higher in US plans (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the differences in the plans’ emphases could be attributable to the importance of Turkey’s forests for the wood production-related needs of Turkish society, whereas US national forests might no longer be seen as an important wood supply base but instead have been given a more “passive” forest use.

Hållbarhet är ett område som fått stort fokus i samhället och samhällets aktörer är idag mer medvetna om hållbarhetens problematik och dess konsekvenser. Banksektorn har en viktig roll för den hållbara utvecklingen och därför är det av stor vikt att bankerna tar hänsyn till hållbarhet för att medverka till att företag bedriver en hållbar verksamhet. Vid kreditgivning har banken olika bedömningsfaktorer som de beaktar för att avgöra om en kredit till företag ska beviljas eller inte. Genom att integrera hållbarhetsaspekter i bankens bedömningsfaktorer vid kreditgivning till stora företag kan det påskynda processen att uppnå parisavtalet och Agenda 2030. EU taxonomin har även utvecklats för att visa vilka företag som bedriver en hållbar verksamhet vilket sätter större press på företag att uppvisa hur de arbetar med hållbarhet i sin hållbarhetsredovisning. Syftet med studien är att studera svenska storbankers upplevda påverkan av hållbarhetsaspekter vid kreditgivning till stora företag samt undersöka om, den nyligen införda, EU taxonomin haft betydelse. Syftet besvaras genom att utreda följande fråga: Hur upplever svenska storbanker att hållbarhetsaspekter påverkar kreditgivningen till stora företag och har EU taxonomin haft betydelse? För att svara på studiens problemformulering har en kvalitativ metod tillämpats. Insamling av det empiriska materialet gjordes genom åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer, respondenterna är två kreditgivare till företag från fyra av de svenska storbankerna. Hållbarhetsaspekterna har endast påverkan på kreditgivnings villkoren till företag hos två av de fyra storbankerna. Detta med anledning av att övriga banker kräver kvantitativa bevis för hållbarhetsarbetet, vilket många företag inte kan uppvisa och till följd inte få exempelvis lägre ränta. Informationsasymmetrin minskas endast med hjälp av förtroende mellan bank och företag, hållbarhetsaspekterna har därför inte minskat informationsasymmetrin. Bankerna vill inte bevilja kredit till företag som inte är hållbara med anledning av att det i sin tur förstör bankens legitimitet mot samhället. Bankerna har behörighet att neka kredit till följd av att företaget som söker kredit brister på någon av hållbarhetsaspekterna, det hör dock till ovanligheten att det faktiskt sker. Greenwashing är bankerna medvetna om men menar på att det inte är något de kan kontrollera. EU taxonomin har bidragit till både ökad information och tydligare struktur vilket i sin tur ökat transparensen mellan företag och bank vid kreditgivningen. Sustainability is an area that has received a big focus in society and society´s actors are today more aware of the problems of sustainability and its consequences. The banking sector has an important role to play in sustainable development and therefore it is important that the bank takes sustainability into account in order to contribute to companies operating a sustainable business. When lending, the bank has various assessment factors that they consider in deciding whether a credit to a company should be granted or not. By integrating sustainability aspects into the bank's assessment factors when lending to large companies, it can speed up the process of achieving the Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030. The EU taxonomy has also been developed to show which companies run a sustainable business, which puts greater pressure on companies to demonstrate how they work with sustainability in their sustainability report. The purpose of the study is to study major Swedish banks' perceived impact on sustainability aspects when lending to large companies and investigate whether the recently introduced EU taxonomy is important. The purpose is answered by investigating the following question: How do major Swedish banks experience that sustainability aspects affect the lending of large companies and has the EU taxonomy been significant? To answer the purpose of the study, a qualitative method has been applied. The data has been gathered through eight semi- structured interviews, the respondents are two lenders to large companies from four of the major Swedish banks. The sustainability aspects have only been affected by the terms of lending to companies at two out of the four major banks. This is due to the fact that the two other banks require quantitative proof of the sustainability work, which many companies cannot exhibit and as a result do not receive lower bank interest rates. The information asymmetry is only reduced with the help of trust between banks and companies, the sustainability aspects have therefore not reduced the information asymmetry. The banks don't want to lend to companies that are not sustainable because it in turn will destroy the bank's legitimacy against society. The big banks have the authority to refuse credit if the company applying for credit lacks in any of the sustainability aspects, however, it is unusual for this to happen. The banks are aware of greenwashing but mean that it's not something the big banks can control. The EU taxonomy has contributed to both increased information and a clearer structure, which in turn increases transparency between companies and banks when lending.

Mining activities can benefit the local economy, although they can also have a negative impact on society and the local environment. As the negative impacts have engendered an increased stakeholder pressure over the last decades the mining industry has given considerable attention to its social and environmental impacts by practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR). This article presents a case study on the Nordic mining industry and its stakeholders with the aim of investigating how a mining company and its stakeholders evaluate sustainability aspects, describing the similarities and differences in their evaluations and exploring whether the concept of materiality analysis can be used as a tool for a company's strategic CSR practice. The mining company X was selected as the case company based on its high CSR profile, sustainability reporting, local context and interesting field competencies. Data has been collected through workshops with management groups, stakeholder surveys and stakeholder interviews. A sustainability aspect matrix was developed which the management groups at Company X and their identified stakeholders evaluated. The materiality analysis visualized the similarities and differences in a good way and the management groups regarded it as a useful tool for their strategic CSR practice.

Additive manufacturing is arguably a cornerstone of the new digital manufacturing, Industry 4.0, which holds enormous opportunities to increase operational and customer effectiveness. Additive manufacturing is also seen as a powerful enabler of circular economy (CE), which aims at reducing resource consumption while boosting business opportunities. No waste production and reduced physical inventories are just few examples of how AM could positively contribute to CE goal. This paper aims at, firstly, exploring what CE strategies can be enabled by AM, and secondly, providing examples of key sustainability aspects to be considered in early design of AM-enabled CE strategies. Our findings show that AM has a great potential in supporting a variety of CE strategies, ranging from providing recycled materials, to original manufacturing, repair and remanufacturing activities, to recycling of materials at the end of life. Furthermore, AM could play a key role in helping businesses to transform their business models and design new products. Using a database of sustainability indicators, we provide examples of key sustainability aspects to consider when planning an AM-enabled CE strategy. Consideration of sustainability aspects is important in the planning and design stage, in order to understand and subsequently measure potential contribution to sustainability. With few examples we show that there are is a need to make a case by case analysis as there is no universally best AM-enabled technology sustainability wise.

The main purpose of this study is to develop a sustainable healthcare supply chain performance measurement (SHSCPM) model, which simultaneously considers intangible characteristics and sustainability aspects to ensure customer and/or stakeholder satisfaction. This model combines a balanced scorecard (BSC) with a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytical network process (ANP). After the arrangement and classification of perspectives and indicators from a literature review, the strategy map of the BSC is designed with DEMATEL. Furthermore, this study used a survey with in-depth interviews of seven expert respondents to make a pair-wise comparison between perspectives and indicators in order to determine the weights of indicators, perspectives, and sustainability aspects on ANP. The study finds the following. First, the innovation and learning perspective that reflects intangible assets has the most influence on the others but is not important, while the customer perspective has the most importance for SHSC performance. Second, the economic aspect has the greatest weight, followed by social and environmental aspects. Finally, indicators of the financial and customer perspectives as drivers of SHSC performance consist of profit, quality of service, revenue, customer satisfaction, and stakeholder satisfaction. Further, indicators of the economic aspect of sustainability have the most effect on SHSC performance, followed by social and environmental aspects. Furthermore, human resources, as an intangible asset and key factor in social aspects, are main factor in improving SHSC performance.

27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4682-4692, Energy demand of photovoltaic (PV) systems is an important part of energy sustainability of PV systems. PV systems are considered sustainable energy systems when the produced energy is higher than needed. his paper is using financial learning curve concepts to determine energy demand of main PV modules and systems. General PV module and PV system energy learning curves are calculated by weighting energy demand of different PV systems according to their share in PV market. Additionally the contribution of module efficiency into energy reduction is considered. Energy payback time (EPBT) and energy return on investment (EROI) in 2010 and 2020 are calculated via energy learning rate.

Background: A particular challenge in the work to realize the global goals for sustainable development is to find ways for organizations to identify and prioritize organizational activities that address these goals. There are also several sustainability initiatives, guidelines and tools to consider when planning, working with and reporting on sustainable development. Although progress has been made, little has been written about how organizations rise to and manage the challenge. The paper explores how organizations address sustainable development, which sustainability aspects they prioritize and whether previous research can improve the priority process by using materiality analysis approach. Methods: A case study approach was chosen. Data was collected by interactive workshops and documentation. The participating organizations were two Swedish municipalities, Results: The municipalities have introduced a number of sustainability aspects into their organizational governance, especially in terms of society, human rights and the environment. A materiality analysis was conducted to determine the relevance and significance of sustainability aspects. The result shows that climate action, biodiversity and freshwater use are aspects that should be prioritized, Conclusion: The materiality analysis methodology chosen for prioritizing of sustainability aspects was useful and easy to work with. However, the sustainability aspect matrix and the risk assessment have to be updated regularly in order to form an effective base for the materiality analysis.

Trajnostna in energetsko učinkovita gradnja je danes ena od aktualnih tem, zato smo v diplomski nalogi izračunali energetsko bilanco za manjšo enodružinsko hišo ter preverili ustreznost konstrukcijskih sklopov zunanjih sten glede na izbrane kriterije trajnosti. V diplomski nalogi so izbrani leseni konstrukcijski sklopi zunanje stene, ki jih najdemo na slovenskem tržišču. Določena sta tudi dva konvencionalna konstrukcijska sklopa iz opeke in armiranega betona. V teoretičnem ozadju so opredeljeni lesni kompoziti, ki jih najdemo v izbranih konstrukcijskih sklopih ter pojmi, ki se nanašajo na trajnost oziroma trajnostnost, trajnostni razvoj, trajnostno arhitekturo, trajnostno stavbo in trajnostno gradnjo. Preverjena je energetska učinkovitost posameznih izbranih konstrukcijskih sklopov na primeru enodružinske nizkoenergijske hiše tipa Prima, ki je produkt podjetja Marles. Poleg tega smo po metodi Dovjak in Krainer [12] določili vidike trajnosti ter posamezne kriterije, ki smo jih analizirali na podlagi sestave izbranih lesenih konstrukcijskih sklopov. Obravnavali smo okoljski, socialni, ekonomski in zdravstveni kriteriji. Ugotovili smo, da energetsko učinkovitost stavbe narekuje toplotna prehodnost konstrukcijskega sklopa, zato ni nujno, da je lesen konstrukcijski sklop bolj energetsko učinkovit od konvencionalnega. Pri analizi trajnostne gradnje se izkaže lesena gradnja za bolj trajnostno od konvencionalne, čeprav ne izpolnjuje vseh kriterijev trajnosti (okoljski, ekonomski, socialni, zdravstveni). Da bi v celoti izpolnili vse kriterije, se je potrebno izogniti uvozu lesa in lesnih kompozitov, ki škodujejo zdravju ljudi in okolju ter uporabiti les brez dodatkov. Nowadays sustainable and energy-efficient construction is one of the top issues, therefore in my graduation thesis we calculated the energy balance of a small family house and checked the suitability of wooden structural complexes of exterior walls according to selected criteria of sustainability. In this thesis we chose wooden structural complexes of exterior walls, which can be found in the Slovenian market. We also specified two conventional structural complexes of brick and reinforced concrete. The theoretical part defines wood composites, which are found in selected structural complexes and concepts of sustainability, sustainable development, sustainable architecture, sustainable building and sustainable engineering. Energy efficency of selected structural complexes is shown in the case of a single-family lowenergy house type called Prima, which is the product of company Marles. In addition, we used the Dovjak and Krainer method [12] to define sustainability aspects and specific criteria, which were analyzed on the basis of the composition of selected wooden structural complexes. We discussed environmental, social, economic and health criteria of sustainability. We found out that the energy efficency of a building is determined by thermal transmittance of frame construction. For this reason it is not necessary that the wood-frame construction is more energy efficient than the conventional one. In the analysis of the sustainability it is proven that wood-frame construction are more sustainable than conventional, though not to meet demands of sustainability (environmental, economic, social, health). In order to fully meet all the criteria should be avoided imports of wood and wood composites, and use wood without adhesives and resins, which are bad for health and the environment.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4647-4650, Energy and carbon audit is a valuable environmental tool based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework and it is used in this study to evaluate the energy and carbon equivalent footprint of several PV technologies, throughout their life cycle steps, in a range of installation systems (façade, slanted, flat integrated or free standing) and mounting types (on roof and open ground installations). The research takes into consideration UK’s specific conditions such as electricity mix, transportation, insolation levels etc. and provides a holistic view of photovoltaic (PV) technologies in the country. Case studies of 1kWh and 500 kWh for on roof and open ground installations respectively are conducted. The Cadmium Teluride (CdTe) PV technology is the one that demonstrates the best environmental behaviour even from renewable technologies which rely on more advantageous natural energy sources in the UK. In terms of the environmental indicators, the slanted integrated mounted installation CdTe PV system in Plymouth has the most competitive values, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions indicator of 23 gCO2eq/kWh, EPBT (energy payback time) of 14.8 months and GHG payback time of 16.8 months.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4651-4654, Climate protection, the transformation of the energy system, the sustainable use of natural resources and increasing resource efficiency are main strategic policy fields in the EU and the member countries. Whereas the expansion of PV electricity supply is clearly fostering the first two strategic fields, negative effects on the latter may occur. The expected expansion requires significant amounts of raw materials and other resources. This raises questions on raw material supply, but also hampers the target achievement on resource efficiency and trade-offs to different environmental policies may occur. Whereas the topic of raw material supply is already under intensive investigation, the questions on synergies and trade-offs coming along with the PV expansion are rarely explored. Several research projects on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) were analyzing different aspects in the context of environmental feasible expansion of PV in Germany. Based on selected results, we highlighted the interlinkages of PV expansion and resource use, evaluate the possible trade-offs and synergies to sustainable use of natural resources and conclude with implication for environmental policies, resource efficiency and suggestion for a resource efficient expansion of PV.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4658-4664, The synergy of photovoltaic (PV) power generation with the needs of the mining industry is profound in countries with great solar and mining resources. Metal mining and smelting operations have high energy demand and their growth is often constrained by the availability and cost of electricity. Particularly in countries with high solar irradiation and expensive grid electricity, PV can provide cost competitive and reliable electricity while displacing air emissions and water usage, thus greatly improving the environmental profile of mining life-cycles. We studied this synergy in Chile and South Africa and found that PV can play a major role in the sustainable development of both countries. We discuss the identification of suitable PV locations based on the topography and solar irradiation, the resource availability (e.g., water, fuel), and the environmental and health benefits enabled by PV deployment in these countries. In both cases, the operation of a single 200 MW plant can prevent in a course of a year approximately a half a million tonnes of CO2 emissions from coal. Water savings are also important for arid regions such as the Atacama desert of northern Chile where a 200 MW PV plant in the region will reduce the water needs for power generation by up to 1.2 million cubic meters annually.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4578-4582, Presently, Research Centers and Industries are putting many efforts into driving down the production cost of crystalline Si-based PV devices (€/Wp [1] ). Such goal can be achieved by enhancing the efficiency of the devices and contemporarily reducing silicon use in wafer production. The 20plμs project "20 percent efficiency on less than 100 μm thick industrially feasible c-Si solar cells" investigates three different types of solar cells. Such cells distinguish between wafer doping and maximum process temperature. P-type monocrystalline Cz-Si solar cells subjected to high temperature processes are called “PHT”; n-type Cz-Si cells fabricated with high and low temperature processes are called “NHT” and “NLT”, respectively. The present work aims at evaluating the ecosustainability of PHT, NHT and NLT technologies in comparison with the reference process: GHG emissions, CED and EPBT are calculated. With regards to results, wafer thickness reduction and cell efficiency enhancement bring about significant GHG emissions reduction and shorter EPBT. Finally a sensitive analysis is proposed to take into account the effects of insolation and PR on the environmental performances.

In Finland one focus on remanufacturing is in work machine manufacturing companies, whose customers are private enterprises or companies. Remanufacturing within work machine business can typically be described as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) or contracted "official" contractors/agents. Companies see lots of benefits with this business model. Main advantage comes from customer's acceptance, because of the quality and the warranty, which the true original equipment manufacturer offers. Sustainability aspects such as reduced environmental impacts and native labour force support and facilitate remanufacturing.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4583-4588, Previous analysis of photovoltaic (PV) life cycles has documented significant environmental benefits from replacing conventional grid electricity with PV systems. However, environmental attributes are traditionally considered economic externalities and not factored into the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). In contrast, total cost electricity pricing uses environmental and performance adders to account for externalities. Rather than imposing costs on existing electricity generation sources, adders are used for evaluating new generation sources on the basis of total cost, equal to the private cost (LCOE) plus the environmental and performance adder. Though utilities are not actually charged the adder, they can be required to rank technology options based on total cost, thus allowing environmental and other societal attributes to be part of the decision-making process. The total cost of ground-mount cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV systems ranges from $73-151/MWh, with a midrange value of $112/MWh ($0.11/kWh). The total cost of rooftop multi-crystalline silicon (multi-c-Si) PV systems ranges from $78-241/MWh, with a midrange value of $137/MWh ($0.14/kWh). These values are competitive with conventional combined cycle and combustion turbine natural gas ($71-213/MWh) and conventional coal ($105-257/MWh). Mid-range environmental costs are $1, $2, $26, and $50 for CdTe PV, multi-c-Si PV, natural gas, and coal, respectively. Although electricity is typically considered a commodity, total cost pricing indicates that solar PV electricity provides additional benefits with regards to impacts on climate, air quality, and water resources that are valued at $24- 49/MWh ($0.02-0.05/kWh) relative to conventional gas and coal electricity. In addition to external costs of conventional generation, there are opportunity costs for the utilities’ rate payers and society’s tax payers of foregone value from not using renewable energy. There are opportunity costs related to energy infrastructure that range from $64-507/MWh ($0.06-0.51/kWh) still excluding the tax payers’ cost for the missing insurance cost of nuclear power plants valued at $190-5385/MWh ($0.19-5.39/kWh) for the case of Germany. There are also opportunity costs related to non-energetic uses for fossil fuels that are approximately $0.21/kWh for the case of Germany. As market subsidies for renewable energy decline, total cost methodology provides an alternative framework for recognizing the societal benefits of clean energy when choosing between technology options.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4629-4633, A full description of the state-of-the-art PV recycling methods and their rationale is presented, which discusses the quality of the recycled materials and the fate of the substances which end up in the landfill. The aim is to flag the PV module components currently not recycled, which may have a priority in terms of their embedded energy, chemical nature or scarcity, for the next evolution of recycling. The sustainability of different recycling options, emerging in the literature on electronic waste recycling, and the possible improvement of the environmental footprint of silicon PV modules, will be discussed.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4634-4639, To replace fossil fuel consumption, solar power is one of the most promising renewable energy, and PV utility scale power plant (PVUSPP) has been widely developed worldwide. By end of 2012, global cumulative installed solar PV capacity had achieved over 96.5 GW, and among them, 10+GW is PVUSPP, while total 15.3 GW of PV systems are in China and two thirds is PVUSPP. PVUSPP can have some impacts on the local environment while it produces clean electricity. Most PVUSPP are installed in those areas where local eco-system is very fragile with weak capability in self-recovery. The effects of PVUSPP on local environment including aspects of atmosphere, vegetation and electromagnetic environment, and should be analyzed and evaluated not just qualitatively but quantitatively as well. To evaluate the impacts before and after a PVUSPP installation on a highland Gobi, a research carried out in China. An observation platform has been developed in Golmud. The data of the natural conditions without PVPUPP and the long sequence environment data after its installation are collected. The local climate environmental data to be monitored and analyzed includes: Soil moisture and temperature at six (6) different depths (from 5cm to 180cm), atmospheric temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation inside/outside of the Station. Based upon the data collected and analyzed, the comparisons have been made and the local micro-climate changes have been found due to PVPUPP. It is found quantitatively that the installation of PVUSPP has evident impacts on local climate within the plant, particularly soil temperature, wind speed and direction closed to the ground, and atmospheric temperature and humidity.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4640-4646, The present paper highlights the results obtained during the development of two European research projects within the FP7 for the optimization of the environmental performance of PV systems: “LCA to go” and “ZeroWIN”. ZeroWIN defines strategies for the prevention of waste and the carbon footprint based on industrial symbiosis. These strategies were implemented in two PV systems. Additionally, the LCA to go project is developing a free, user-friendly web based tool in order to disseminate the idea of LCA among SMEs. Currently the beta version of the tool is available at [lcatogo.simpple.com]. The tool enables the comparison and evaluation of different types of installations showing the choices’ impacts on relevant environmental indicators for the PV sector. The LCA to go tool developed for PV was used to implement an Environmental Product Declaration (verified by Fraunhofer IZM) for one of the PV system implemented during the ZeroWIN project. The final results showed that the Embodied greenhouse gas emissions are 4.377,5 kg CO2-eq and its energy payback time is 2.2 years. They also showed that the emissions associated to the electricity generated are 74% less than the emissions associated to the same electricity if consumed directly from the grid in Spain.

27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4638-4641, Many developers both from India and abroad have come forward for installing 5-25 MWP PV power plant at the Gujarat Solar Park situated in the western part of India. The accumulated participations were projected with a total capacity in developing 500 MWP grid exported PV power system. Each of the plant is dedicated to convert photo generated DC power into AC power through its appropriate inverting systems. The inverted power then stepped up into 11 kV by compact secondary sub-stations and finally stepped up to 11 kV for feeding into the 11 / 66 kV switch yard for efficient exporting into the Gujarat Energy Transmitting Corporation (GETCO) grid. The PV power plants along with their auxiliary systems were set up on the salt marsh land around the Little Rann of Kutch of Gujarat. The accumulated power plant is a mixture of PV modules made up either from poly crystalline Si or thin film CdTe and amorphous Si materials. Each of the developers was allotted 5-8 acres of land per MWP for setting up their plant depending upon the quality of PV module used by them. The projected plant life is 25 years and the state Govt. has agreed to purchase the generated power @ Indian Rupee (INR) 15.00 per kWh (56 INR = 1 US$) for first 12 years and INR 5.00 per kWh for remaining 13 years with levelized tariff INR 13.30 per kWh for 25 years. The environmental issues related to the installation and operation phases and possible uncertainties in power production from such facilities have not, so far, been addressed comprehensively in the literature. One of such 10 MWP polycrystalline Si power plant was considered under present studies to enlighten the above issues and is presented in the text of the present paper.

The connections between product, processes and manufacturing systems are becoming more complex. Sustainability related issues are important and they are adding to the complexity of the design process. The amount of data that is needed for decision making is growing and multiple parameters and constraints must be considered simultaneously. Simulation and modeling can be used to analyze the performance of the product and production system, using traditional production performance measures and also taking into account environmental sustainability related performance measures. This poster presents research efforts for a novel concept for a simulation-based manufacturing and sustainability decision making system for the early product manufacturability evaluation and conceptual design phase of manufacturing systems. The research presented in this poster has been carried out within the frames of the EPES, "Eco-Process Engineering System for composition of services to optimize product life-cycle" international collaboration project co-funded by the European Commission.

27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4667-4672, This paper summarizes a comprehensive life cycle analysis based on actual process data from the manufacturing of Sunpower 20.1% efficient modules in the Philippines and other countries. Higher efficiencies are produced by innovative cell designs and material and energy inventories that are different from those in the production of average crystalline silicon panels. On the other hand, higher efficiencies result to lower system environmental footprints as the system area on a kW basis is smaller. It was found that high efficiencies result to a net gain in environmental metrics (i.e., Energy Payback Times, GHG emissions) in comparison to average efficiency c-Si modules. The EPBT for the Sunpower modules produced in the Philippines and installed in average US or South European insolation is only 1.4 years, whereas the lowest EPBT from average efficiency c-Si systems is ~1.7 yrs. To capture the advantage of high performance systems beyond their Energy Payback Times, we introduced the metric of Net Energy Production Value (NEPV), which shows the solar electricity production after the system has “paid-off” the energy used in its life-cycle. The SunPower modules are shown to produce 45% more electricity than average efficiency (i.e., 14%) c-Si PV modules.

27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4352-4358, Much current research in photovoltaic technology is directed towards using “abundant” base metals like copper and zinc (e.g., CZTS or more recently CZTSSe) to overcome the the challenges of material scarcity posed by the use of tellurium, indium, germanium, and gallium in current generation products (e.g., CdTe, CIGS, a- Si/thin-film Si). The supply of these materials is limited because they are minor byproducts of the production of copper, zinc, lead. and aluminum, so that their economic production inherently is linked to that of the base metals. But, although the base metals currently are abundant, their reserves are not inexhaustible. In addition to concerns on resource availability, the main sustainability metrics for large-scale PV growth are low cost and minimum environmental impact. As the numbers of photovoltaic installations grow, greatly displacing traditional powergeneration infrastructures, recycling will play an increasingly important role in managing their end-of-life fate, so relieving pressure on the prices of critical materials. Identifying the potential issues in current technologies can help implement a take-back- or recycling-program ahead of time. Our work explores the potential for material recycling of various established commercial photovoltaic technologies, along with those under development. It sheds light on a dimension of sustainability that has not been investigated before. Based on entropy analyses, documented by the experience of recycling electronic products, we show that recycling some types of PV modules based on “abundant” materials could be burdened by complexity and lack of value, thereby creating concerns about end-of-life environmental impacts, and resource availability.

27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4374-4378, Upcoming building regulations in the framework of sustainable building policy will require reliable, producer-specific data on the environmental profile of PV products. Carbon footprinting is an important aspect of environmental sustainability reporting but a fair comparison can only be made when all environmental footprints of a product are taken into account. Also different LCA databases (for example ecoinvent, Gabi and ELCD) will generate different results. Many PV module producers have performed a carbon footprint analysis but because various methodologies and assumptions are used a good comparison is not possible. ISO 14067-1 is the internationally leading (draft) standard for carbon footprinting of products. No Product Footprint Category Rules (PFCR) or Product Category Rules (PCRs) for Photovoltaics exist and it is recommended to use IEA PVPS task 12 guidelines. New LCA data for commercial production of crystalline silicon-, amorphous silicon, CIGS and CdTe glass-based PV modules are compiled and show decreased power and material consumption.