PV and Thermal Solar Systems Application in Buildings. A State of Art in the Context of Circular Economy

Abstract

AbstractSolar energy is one of the most promising sources for low carbon energy production. In particular, PV panels and thermal solar collectors can be easily integrated into new and existing buildings to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability. On the other hand, solar-based technologies require extraction of natural resources and processing, thus materials conservation and recovery are vital to effectively contribute to the decarbonization of the construction sector. The paper is meant to be a brief state of the art that summarizes the relevant issues for achieving the goal of circular economy of buildings with the focus on solar energy application, with the novelty of considering and comparing two technologies, photovoltaic and thermal. Most of the scientific literature was dedicated to PV technologies due to the increasing importance of the electrification process and the usage of materials with reduced availability. Thermal solar collectors were mainly analysed developing LCA without a larger point of view embracing circularity concepts. Apart from the technological matters, the investigation highlights social, behavioral, and economic aspects that can be crucial to trace the route to circular economy.