20th September, 2022 | Renewables, Residential, Solar |
Austrian photovoltaic manufacturer Fronius International has conducted a life-cycle analysis of its Tauro solar inverter and determined its environmental benefits exceed its environmental costs by a factor of 52.
The analysis also concluded the Fronius Tauro will produce more energy than was used to manufacture it in just 10 months of usage.
The company’s sustainability experts spent eight months analysing the life cycle of the inverter, from the procurement of raw materials and manufacturing, to usage and end-of-life.
“We evaluated 960 components with 5050 parts, and even etched components in sulphuric acid to determine the weight of the semiconductors and gold elements inside more precisely,” says David Schönmayr, project manager R&D, Fronius International.
The 8400 results from the life-cycle analysis were verified by Germany’s Fraunhofer IZM – one the world’s leading institutes for applied research and the development and system integration of electronics – in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
“A life-cycle analysis is not an end in itself but should identify specific opportunities for improvement in the life cycle,” says Fraunhofer IZM’s Karsten Schischke.
“The detailed analysis of the Fronius Tauro not only confirms the important positive contribution of PV inverters for the green transformation of the energy sector, but also identifies areas with potential for us to work on from the point of view of climate protection and the circular economy.”
The Fronius Tauro is fully repairable, with almost every part able to be replaced.
“We set ourselves apart through end-to-end transparency when it comes to the sustainability of our products,” says Martin Hackl, global director, marketing and sales business unit, solar energy, Fronius International.
“Our aim is to have systems with the best carbon footprint, and our customers are increasingly asking for life-cycle analysis results.
“They want to know how much recycled material is in their inverter and what the situation is regarding repairability.”
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