Life Cycle Assessment of a Photovoltaic-thermal Micro-cogeneration System

Nowadays the urgency in reduction of emissions and of depletion of resources makes the employment of renewable energy necessary for encourage a sustainable development. The paper presents the results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an innovative system for the production of renewable energy. The environmental and social impacts of a prototype of a sun tracking system of distributed micro-cogeneration, producing electric and thermal energy from the solar energy, are analyzed. Particular attention is paid on the impact of the end of life of the system and of its components, such as the Photovoltaic (PV) cells. Different design alternatives of the micro-cogeneration system are evaluated in order to individuate the best configuration from environmental and social point of view

Life Cycle Assessment of a Fresnel Solar Concentrator System for Micro-Cogeneration

Sustainable development involves the use of Earth resources with the aim of meeting human needs while preserving the environment (WCED, 1987). The challenge of renewable energy production is a very current topic in environmental sustainability due to the increasing urge to reduce the contribution of fossil fuels so as to limit first of all the natural resource depletion and secondary the air pollution. In this context the use of high efficiency photovoltaic (PV) systems (i.e. multiple junction PV cells, sun tracking and concentrating PV systems) together with micro-cogeneration systems for electric and thermal energy production is desirable. In this context this paper presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a Fresnel lenses solar concentrator prototype, realized for electric and thermal energy micro-cogeneration and equipped with prototypal mono-crystalline cells. Aim of the study is the estimation of the global environmental impact of this energy generator system in a \u201ccradle to grave\u201d perspective. Different LCA methods are considered in the study and an indication of the Energy Payback Time (EPBT) is calculated in order to define the environmental and energetic convenience to produce and use the Fresnel lens solar concentrator system. Different geographical locations are also assumed for the photovoltaic-thermal concentrator plant installation and comparisons with alternative power plants are reported

LIGHT PANRETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION (LPRP) VERSUS CLASSIC PANRETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION (CPRP) IN PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

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