Life-cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of a grid-connected solar photovoltaic system: Environmental benefits and economic feasibility

This study presents a comprehensive life-cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of a 270.665 kWdc solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed at Aswaq Al Salam in Jordan. Using OpenLCA with the Ecoinvent database, greenhouse gas emissions were evaluated across major components including solar panels, steel structures, cables, and inverters. Results show that the total system impact is 232,367.84 kg CO 2 -eq over its 25-year lifetime, with the majority (74.6%) originating from solar panel manufacturing due to an energy-intensive silicon purification process. When compared to grid electricity, which would have produced 7,915,520.10 kg CO 2 over the same period, the PV system achieves a 97.06% reduction in emissions, corresponding to only 15.59 g CO 2 /kWh. An off-grid alternative with a 3 MWh battery storage was also assessed, yielding a higher footprint of 431,929.63 kg CO 2 -eq, primarily due to emissions from lithium-ion battery production. In addition to the environmental assessment, a discounted techno-economic evaluation was performed. The total investment cost was estimated at USD169,200, yielding first-year savings of USD92,891. When accounting for discounting, operation and maintenance costs, and electricity price escalation, the system achieves a net present value of approximately USD979,950 over 25 years and a levelized cost of electricity of USD0.024/kWh, significantly lower than the prevailing grid electricity tariff. The simple payback period remains short at 1.82 years, confirming both the short-term attractiveness and long-term economic robustness of the grid-connected PV system.