Collaborative Research: SusCHEM: Environmental Sustainability of Lead Perovskite Solar Cells

CBET - 1705606 PI：Fthenakis，Vasilis 在过去的五年里，铅基有机金属卤化物钙钛矿太阳能电池的效率出现了前所未有的增长，目前已超过22%，与几十年来开发的最佳薄膜器件技术相匹配。记录设备的效率，地球丰富的组成元素，以及低成本处理的潜力，导致了对这项技术的极大热情和快速商业化的希望。然而，使用剧毒铅的必要性引起了人们的关注。目前，工业界、学术界和政府的观点从断言任何使用铅的行为都是不可接受的，到认为铅的浓度很小，风险很小。鉴于这种二分法，该项目的主要目标是：（1）评估卤化铅钙钛矿光致发光材料（PV）的环境可持续性，以及（2）应用该评估来通知和指导未来的研究、开发，以及与钙钛矿PV相关的制造方法。将采用的数据驱动方法以铅的环境可持续性和生命周期评估（LCA）为中心，基于钙钛矿PV的材料和加工方法具有真实的工业相关性。铅钙钛矿太阳能电池的环境影响将在其整个生命周期中进行评估，包括材料的提取，光伏组件的制造，组件的部署和操作以及寿命结束时的回收。LCA将主要关注与碳和铅强度相关的指标，包括温室气体排放、能源回收期和重金属排放。具体目标包括：（1）为卤化铅钙钛矿光伏电池开发一个生命周期清单，其材料和加工方法与工业相关，使光伏电池具有高效率、长使用寿命、高速率制造和低成本;（2）评估各种钙钛矿光伏器件设计和制造路线的生命周期评估结果，以确定最具环境可持续性的商业化途径;（3）量化钙钛矿PV的重金属和碳强度，并与其他PV技术（如使用和不使用铅基焊料的CdTe和Si）以及铅排放化石燃料的生命周期进行比较。基于卤化铅钙钛矿的高效、低成本太阳能电池如果能够以环境可持续的方式制造、运行和退役，就有可能改变美国和全球的能源组合，提高能源安全。该项目有可能影响光伏制造业的未来，为行业、政策制定者和学术界提供必要的见解，以选择哪些铅基太阳能电池的生命周期是环境可持续的。研究将被整合到多个课程和高级设计项目在德雷克塞尔和哥伦比亚。外展将通过扩大西费城承诺区的少年太阳能冲刺计划，扩展到服务不足的K-12学生，那里的贫困率超过50%。

CBET - 1705606 PI: Fthenakis, Vasilis The last five years have seen an unprecedented rise in the efficiencies of lead-based organometal halide perovskite solar cells, which now exceed 22% and match the best thin film device technologies that have been developed over several decades. The record device efficiencies, earth-abundant constituent elements, and potential for low-cost processing have led to great enthusiasm for this technology and hopes of rapid commercialization. However, the necessity of using acutely toxic lead has caused concern. Current opinion within industry, academia and government ranges from the assertion that any use of lead is unacceptable to the belief that the lead intensity will be small and the risks minimal. Given this dichotomy, the primary objectives of this project are: (1) to assess the environmental sustainability of lead halide perovskite photovoltaics (PVs), and (2) to apply this assessment to inform and direct future research, development, and manufacturing approaches related to perovskite PVs.The data-driven approach to be employed centers on environmental sustainability and life cycle assessment (LCA) of lead-based perovskite PVs with materials and processing methods of real industrial relevance. Environmental impacts of lead perovskite solar cells will be assessed throughout their life cycle, including extraction of materials, manufacturing of PV modules, deployment and operation of modules, and end-of-life recycling. LCA will focus primarily on metrics related to carbon and lead intensity, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy payback time, and heavy metal emissions. Specific aims include: (1) Developing a life cycle inventory for lead halide perovskite PVs with materials and processing methods that are industrially relevant, enabling PVs with high efficiency, long operational lifetimes, highrate manufacturing, and low cost; (2) Evaluating LCA results for a variety of perovskite PV device designs and manufacturing routes to identify the most environmentally sustainable pathways to commercialization; (3) Quantifying heavy metal and carbon intensity for perovskite PVs and comparing to other PV technologies such as CdTe and Si with and without lead-based solder and to lead-emitting fossil-fuel life cycles. Efficient, low-cost solar cells based upon lead halide perovskites have the potential to transform the US and global energy portfolio and improve energy security if they can be manufactured, operated, and retired in an environmentally sustainable manner. This project has the potential to impact the future of PV manufacturing by providing industry, policy-makers, and academia with insights necessary to choose which, if any, lead-based solar cell life cycles are environmentally sustainable. Research will be integrated into multiple courses and senior design projects at Drexel and Columbia. Outreach will extend to underserved K-12 students through expansion of the Junior Solar Sprint program in the West Philadelphia Promise Zone, where the poverty rate is over 50%.