EPBT: energy return time
EPBT (Energy Payback Time) measures the time necessary for an installation to produce the equivalent of the energy used for its manufacture, transport and installation. With recent technologies, this period is significantly shorter than ten years ago, which improves the overall balance sheet of photovoltaics.
What really influences the carbon footprint
The main factors are the source of electricity of the factories, the quality of the industrial process, the efficiency of the module and its longevity on the roof. The longer the service life, the higher the emissions per kWh produced are decreasing.
Perspective for Switzerland
Even with a network that is already relatively carbon-free, local solar remains useful for securing supply, limit winter imports and support the electrification of uses. The most robust approach is to think about the entire life cycle rather than a single indicator.