Eco-design of solar technologies can reduce environmental impact by up to 20% and lower electricity costs.

Why It Matters

As the demand for renewable energy solutions grows, designers and engineers must consider the full environmental and economic implications of their creations. This research provides a framework for optimizing solar technologies, ensuring they are not only effective but also sustainable and cost-competitive.

Key Finding

By focusing on material choices and manufacturing for solar PV, and on energy efficiency and component design for CSP, significant reductions in environmental impact and cost are achievable across the entire product lifecycle.

Key Findings

• For solar PV, material selection and fabrication processes for electrode and absorber layers are critical for reducing life cycle environmental impacts.
• Optimized material combinations for perovskite solar cells can achieve a global warming potential as low as 0.12–0.15 kg CO2 eq/kWh and reduce mineral/metal resource use.
• For CSP, eco-design should focus on minimizing natural gas use in co-generation, and improving the environmental performance of collectors, heat transfer fluids, and power generation units.
• While transportation, consumption, and end-of-life stages have smaller individual impacts, they contribute to the overall effectiveness of eco-design measures when considered holistically.
• Implemented eco-design measures reduce both environmental impacts and electricity costs, accelerating market readiness.

Research Evidence

Aim: What are the key eco-design measures for innovative solar photovoltaics and concentrating solar power technologies that can reduce their life cycle environmental impacts and costs?

Method: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC)

Procedure: The study conducted LCA and LCC on innovative solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. Based on the findings, specific eco-design measures were identified and evaluated for their potential to improve the technical, environmental, and economic performance of these technologies.

Context: Renewable energy technologies, specifically solar PV and CSP

Design Principle

Minimize life cycle environmental impact and cost through informed material selection, optimized manufacturing, and holistic system design.

How to Apply

When designing new solar energy systems or components, conduct a preliminary LCA to identify the most impactful stages and materials. Prioritize research into alternative materials and manufacturing techniques that offer improved environmental and economic profiles.

Limitations

The study focused on lab-scaled perovskite solar cells and specific CSP technologies; results may vary for different solar technologies or at larger scales. The influence of transportation, consumption, and end-of-life stages, while acknowledged, may require more detailed investigation for specific product contexts.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Making solar panels and solar power systems more environmentally friendly and cheaper involves smart choices about the materials used and how they are made, all the way from start to finish.

Why This Matters: This research shows that designing for the environment and for cost-effectiveness go hand-in-hand, making sustainable products more likely to succeed in the real world.

Critical Thinking: To what extent can the 'eco-design' of solar technologies truly achieve carbon neutrality, considering the entire supply chain and disposal process?

IA-Ready Paragraph: The eco-design of solar energy technologies, as highlighted by research into solar PV and CSP, emphasizes a lifecycle approach. By critically evaluating material selection, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life considerations, designers can significantly reduce environmental impacts and improve economic viability, leading to more sustainable and market-ready innovations.

Project Tips

• When researching materials for your design, look for data on their environmental impact (e.g., carbon footprint, resource depletion).
• Consider the energy and waste generated during the manufacturing process of your chosen components.

How to Use in IA

• Use the concept of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to justify material choices and design decisions, demonstrating an understanding of the product's environmental footprint from cradle to grave.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of the full lifecycle of a product, not just its use phase, when evaluating design choices.

Independent Variable: ["Material selection for solar PV absorber and electrode layers","Energy use in CSP co-generation components","Design of CSP collectors and heat transfer fluids"]

Dependent Variable: ["Global Warming Potential (kg CO2 eq/kWh)","Mineral and metal resource use (kg Sb eq)","Electricity cost ($/kWh)"]

Controlled Variables: ["Type of solar technology (PV vs. CSP)","Scale of technology (lab-scale vs. commercial)","Specific manufacturing processes"]

Strengths

• Integrates both environmental and economic assessments (LCA and LCC).
• Provides specific recommendations for different types of solar technologies (PV and CSP).
• Highlights the importance of a holistic lifecycle perspective.

Critical Questions

• How do the identified eco-design measures scale up from lab-level prototypes to commercial production?
• What are the trade-offs between using more sustainable materials and the initial cost or performance of solar technologies?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the life cycle impacts of a specific renewable energy technology, proposing eco-design interventions to mitigate identified environmental hotspots and reduce overall costs.

Source

Recommended actions for eco-design of solar energy technologies based on life cycle approach · Energy Reports · 2026 · 10.1016/j.egyr.2025.108961