RESEARCH
Current Research
- Model development and assessments of renewable energy integration into electricity grids; studies on solar and wind fluctuations and synergies
- Critical energy materials; resource assessment
- Establishing the environmental profile of photovoltaic technologies through independent, data-based analyses in collaboration with recognized life-cycle professionals in Europe.
- Risk and LCA based comparisons of solar electric and conventional energy technologies in collaboration with several European and Latin American institutions.
Renewable Energy Grid Integration: Technical & Environmental Systems Analyses
Optimization of Energy Storage Units (ESU) for PV Ramp-rate Control Based on Actual PV Performance
Overview of a Software Tool under development
The Life Cycle of PV Systems
(Fthenakis and Kim, MRS Symposium G: Life Cycle Analysis Tools for 'Green" Materials and Process Selection, Nov. 2005, Boston, MS).
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Life Cycles: GHG estimates
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Life Cycles: Land Use Estimates
Recycling of Photovoltaics
- Experimental research on recovery of Cd, Te, Se and In from photovoltaic and electronic spent products.
- Collaborating with PV companies in designing pilot plant operations for the recovery of Cd, Te, Cu, In, Ge, Ag and glass from PV manufacturing scrap and spent modules.