The Right Place for the Right Job in the Photovoltaic Life Cycle

The potential for photovoltaic power generation (PV) to reduce primary energy consumption (PEC) and CO₂ emissions depends on the physical locations of each stage of its life cycle. When stages are optimally located, CO₂ emissions are reduced nearly ten times as much as when each stage is located in the country having the largest current market share. The usage stage contributes the most to reducing CO₂ emissions and PEC, and total CO₂ emissions actually increase when PV is installed in countries having small CO₂ emissions from electricity generation. Global maps of CO₂ reduction potential indicate that Botswana and Gobi in Mongolia are the optimal locations to install PV due to favorable conditions for PV power generation and high CO₂ emissions from current electricity generation. However, the small electricity demand in those countries limits the contribution to global CO₂ reduction. The type of PVs has a small but significant effect on life cycle PEC and CO₂ emissions