A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Assessment Reporting Practices and Transparency for Mono-Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Systems

Mono-crystalline silicon (mono-Si) PV modules account for around 70 % of global c-Si production, making robust environmental assessments essential. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is widely used for this purpose, yet inconsistent data reporting limits transparency and comparability. While prior reviews have explored environmental impacts and parameter trends, none have systematically evaluated reporting quality in mono-Si PV LCAs. To address this, the current review conducted a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-guided review of 32 mono-Si PV LCA studies published from 2019 to 2024. Each was assessed using the ISO 14040/14044 framework and IEA guidelines, with a focus on key elements such as functional unit, system boundary, data sources, software, characterization models, and data quality analysis. The review applied both a descriptive summary of common practices and a grading rubric to evaluate reporting transparency. Results reveal major inconsistencies, with fewer than half of the studies meeting international standards. This underscores the urgent need for harmonized reporting protocols in mono-Si PV LCA literature.