Dispersion analysis of the energy consumption and carbon footprint of photovoltaic energy use through design of experiments (DOE)

This study investigated the environmental impact and energy performance of first-generation poly-Si photovoltaic (PV) systems in Peru through the application of design of experiments (DOE) techniques. The objective of this article was to analyze the environmental impact of these PV systems through the evaluation of their life cycle, considering the degree of dispersion of the variables required for the calculation of energy consumption at each stage of the life cycle and those that influence the energy generation process. Two DOE methods were employed to calculate the energy payback time (EPBT) and carbon footprint for two different cases: five rural households in Puno and the Rubi Solar Plant. The results indicate consistency across both cases, with the Face Centered Central Composite Design (CCD) method providing a more realistic description of dispersion due to the linear equation nature of the EPBT calculation. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for diverse factors in PV system analysis for accurate environmental impact and energy performance assessments.