Evaluation of Energy Payback Time (EPBT) and Carbon Emission by a Medium-Sized PV Power Plant in Burkina Faso

This study aims to determine the energy payback time (EPBT) and evaluate the climate change environmental indicator caused by the generation of 1 kWh by a 1.1 MWp PV system installed in Burkina Faso. A comparison of these impacts with the national electricity mix was also made. The SimaPro 9.4 environmental modeling software, the Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), and IPPC 100 methods were used to determine the energy payback time and the climate change environmental indicator. The results show that the energy payback time varies from 1.86 to 2.71 years, depending on the end-of-life management scenario. The generation of 1 kWh by the PV system emits 24.6–58.3 g CO2 eq. and is mainly dominated by the manufacturing stages of PV modules (39–43%) and mounting structures (40–43%). Burkina Faso’s electricity mix, dominated by fossil fuel thermal power plants emits 468.9 g CO2 eq/kWh into the environment, that is, 8 to 19 times higher than the PV systems scenarios studied. Recycling the mounting structures at the photovoltaic plant's end-of-life, generates environmental benefits, reducing EPBT by 31% and climate change by 34%. The development of solar PV energy in Burkina Faso represents an environmental benefits compared to thermal power plants energy. However, the management of PV waste must be a priority for the coming years.