MANY MINDEDPerovskite solar modules may reduce lead pollution risk in developing regions
Huazhong University of Science and Technology researchers modeled lead leakage from perovskite photovoltaic modules in China from 2026 to 2060. Under best-practice conditions, single-junction perovskite modules contain 2–3.9 grams of lead per kilowatt installed capacity—significantly less than silicon modules with lead solder (36–53 grams per kilowatt). All-perovskite tandem modules contain 3.6–4 grams of lead per kilowatt. By 2060, perovskite’s best-practice deployment could reduce cumulative lead leakage to 479 metric tons (2026–2060) versus 8,554 metric tons for silicon modules. Brazil faces 119 metric tons of downstream lead leakage from imported modules versus 50 metric tons upstream leakage, while Germany faces 17 metric tons downstream versus 67 metric tons upstream. Perovskite modules also break at 2% annual rate versus silicon’s 0.1%, with lifetimes extending from 10 years (2026) to 30 years under best-practice scenarios. The study notes 45% of Chinese perovskite exports to 2024 were directed to Europe, but leakage impacts depend on recipient countries’ recycling infrastructure and degradation rates.
This reduces lead pollution risk for vulnerable populations in tropical developing regions where perovskite modules are exported. Lower lead content and longer lifespans mean less toxic material enters communities during module deployment and end-of-life recycling. However, the study assumes Chinese deployment models and does not account for global supply chain variations beyond China’s 6,781 gigawatt PV capacity projection by 2060. Researchers caution that downstream leakage in regions like Brazil and Germany highlights gaps in recycling infrastructure that could still expose populations to lead pollution even with lower initial lead content. The next critical step is scaling up recycling systems in recipient countries to capture lead from decommissioned modules before it reaches vulnerable communities.
Source: pv magazine