Recently Trina Solar was awarded the LCA certificate for its 210mm Vertex modules by TÜV Rheinland, becoming the first solar company to receive LCA certification for 210mm modules. With the advantage of 210mm wafers, the Vertex modules achieve industry leading low carbon emissions.
Since Trina Solar was founded 25 years it has been both a promoter of green energy and a practitioner of green development. The company provides clean electricity through photovoltaic modules and is committed to making its manufacturing processes green and low-carbon.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) follows the methods and requirements of ISO 14040/ISO 14044 to conduct scientific and stringent tests of life-cycle carbon emissions and other indicators of the assessed subject. The products, sampling from Trina Solar’s major production factories around the world for testing and certification, cover the full range of p-type 210mm modules with mono-crystalline from Vertex S 410W to Vertex 670W.
The results show that the Trina Solar Vertex modules are outstanding in the industry for their low carbon emissions. The average carbon emissions of PV modules’ lifecycle assessment “from cradle to gate” in China are about 550kg CO2_E/kW. Trina Solar's 210mm Vertex modules carbon emissions are as low as less than 400kg CO2_E/kW, without using special silicon materials. Its carbon emissions are at least 30% lower than the industry average in China. Taking the 30-year product life cycle as an example, Trina Solar Vertex modules have an electricity emission factor of less than 0.01. Carbon emissions of thermal power are higher than 100 times.
In addition to testing elements concerning global warming potential influences, Trina Solar conducted a comprehensive LCA analysis of Vertex modules on more than 10 indicators that affect the environment, including energy consumption, raw material use, acid rain, eutrophication, toxins and waste, among others. The results show outstanding performance of the Vertex modules.
Reducing carbon emissions is a global trend that will continue to affect product portfolios, technology development, production and supply chain management in all industries. Low-carbon certification will be an important consideration for customers when they select the products to use. Trina Solar's 210mm Vertex modules have passed the LCA certification and will provide customers with Vertex’s carbon emissions and other environmental performance data to help achieve customers’ carbon neutrality goals.
LCA certification is only one aspect in how Trina Solar pursues low-carbon. The company will strictly fulfill its social responsibility of reducing carbon emissions and of green development through initiatives such as low-carbon product design, optimizing energy management systems and improving the efficiency of energy use. In addition to its own green development, Trina Solar will also promote energy conservation and emissions reductions in the industry chain.