Life Cycle Assessment of a 1-MW PV Power System in Jordan

This paper presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of a 1 MW photovoltaic (PV) power system located in Jordan, using region-specific data for production, operation, and end-of-life phases. The novelty of this study lies in its integration of local manufacturing and recycling processes, offering a rare localized perspective for Middle Eastern solar infrastructure. The analysis, performed with SimaPro 9.6 using Eco-indicator 99, IPCC, and CED methods, evaluates environmental impacts across 11 categories, including climate change, resource depletion, and human health. Results show that the PV system offsets its entire life cycle CO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> emissions in approximately 2.9 years of operation and that recycling significantly reduces environmental burdens—e.g., over 750 Pt reduction in eco-impact points for photovoltaic panels. These findings emphasize the critical role of recycling in improving PV sustainability and offer policy recommendations for Jordan’s growing solar sector.