Sustainability Evaluation of Renewable Energy Systems: A Lifecycle and Economic Perspective

This study demonstrates how life cycle analysis could be utilized along with other criteria to make an informative decision choosing between different renewable energy sources. The decision framework for a 1 MW solar photovoltaic system and a 1 MW wind turbine system is proposed. Based on a lifetime analysis of 25 years and an emissions time span of 100 years, the operation and maintenance analysis, as well as an economic and efficiency evaluation, the solar photovoltaic energy system was rated higher a more favorable in both environmental impact and maintenance. Additionally, it was concluded that if an investor or stakeholders is considering the amount of profit return to be the most important, then the wind turbine system is the ideal option as it has a high return value on investment.