The primary objective of this project was to develop and apply design metrics for assessing and guiding the improvement of PV product systems. The total PV life cycle, encompassing material production, manufacturing and assembly, use, and end of life management was investigated. Energy payback time, electricity production efficiency, life cycle conversion efficiency, and life cycle cost metrics were evaluated for modules located in Detroit, Boulder, and Phoenix, three sites with different insolation. The study also explored the energy savings associated with several strategies for design improvement, including frameless modules, frame reuse, and an alternative procedure for module encapsulation. Life cycle air emissions, waterborne effluents, and solid waste were not investigated due to a lack of available data.

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