Assessing the sustainability of solar photovoltaics: the case of glass–glass and standard panels manufactured in Lithuania

The life cycles of glass–glass (GG) and standard (STD) solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, consisting of stages from the production of feedstock to solar PV panel utilization, are compiled, assessed, and compared with the criteria representing energy, environment, and economy disciplines of sustainability and taking into account the climate conditions of Lithuania. The following methods were applied: “PVsyst” software, life-cycle assessment (LCA), levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), case studies, comparative analysis, and logical reasoning. The results show that the GG type solar PV panel was more efficient and had better environmental performance than the STD type. During its lifetime, the 1 kW GG type produces 67% more energy and emits 42% less greenhouse gasses (GHGs) than the STD type. The 1 kW GG type could produce 32.75 MWh of electricity and emit 28.0 gCO_2eq/kWh. It outperformed the STD type regarding energy and GHG emission payback times, which were estimated to be 3.5 and 3.7 months, respectively. Despite the higher PV panel price of the GG type, its economy is better. Depending on the project financing strategy, the estimated average LCOE of the GG type is 4% lower than that of the STD type. Specifically, the average LCOE of the GG type panels are approximately 0.15 EUR/kWh. These are reduced to 0.13 EUR/kWh, subject to an investment subsidy of 323 EUR/kWp. Overall, the GG type is more sustainable than the STD type. The research results substantiate the relevance of manufacturing and deploying advanced solar PV technologies to meet climatic and sustainable development targets.