Estudo da análise do ciclo de vida aplicado a usinas solares fotovoltaicas: uma abordagem no contexto da usina da UFRN

Abstract

In today's world, the promotion of human development on a sustainable basis is one of the greatest challenges. Measures, actions and various methods are being thought and applied in order to minimize the anthropic effects that have been accelerating global warming and achieving environmental balance - actions by the State, the market and civil society. In this scenario, the use of renewable energies, such as solar photovoltaics, is presented as an alternative for mitigating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This study pointed out the need to verify the environmental aspects and potential impacts throughout the life cycle of a photovoltaic solar plant. For this, a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study was developed. Given this scenario, knowing that the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), as a public teaching institution that plays the role of promoting economic development linked to the preservation of the environment, several incentives have been created to disseminate the implementation of sustainability in this field. An LCA of the UFRN photovoltaic solar plant was carried out to obtain an energy inventory and a carbon inventory, measuring the amount of GHG that the university will no longer emit with the operation of this plant. This study provides the energy payback time and the carbon payback time of the UFRN solar plant. The reported values will be recommended to serve as a basis for creating new sustainability goals in the University's Sustainable Logistics Plan (PLS).