The main objectives of the ION4PV: ION4PV: LCA projects are to develop new encapsulants for photovoltaic modules and to assess the costs and impacts caused and/or avoided by these new materials.

In the ION4PV project, we have explored a two-pronged approach to improving SLS glass for photovoltaic modules, aiming for enhanced optical performance and a longer service life:

1. Inclusion of surface K+ ions via chemical doping, where the larger K+ ions block the movement of Na+ and prevent it from escaping the glass and contaminating the solar cell via the potential ionic degradation (PID) mechanism
2. Inclusion of Bi2O3 for more efficient UV filtering and increased durability of the solar cell and plastic encapsulants.

A detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) study has been carried out in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, including a detailed life cycle inventory (see Figure 3 for the main substances involved in the manufacturing process of the proposed new glass composition). The LCA provides a comprehensive environmental assessment of the improvements achievable with the proposed approaches to ‘photovoltaic glass’ production methods.

ION4PV is a research project comprising two sub-projects, both awarded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, and funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU).

Antonio Urbina and Vicente Sánchez-Alarcos lead the main project from the Public University of Navarra, whilst Lucía Serrano-Luján leads the “ION4PV-LCA” sub-project from Rey Juan Carlos University.

The codes for both projects are: TED2021-132368B-C21 and TED2021-132368B-C22.