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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Mohammed Rajaeifar, Miriam Fsadni, Professor Oliver HeidrichORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2026 The Authors. The generation of renewable electricity is critical to reach Net-Zero targets. Decisions on the development of renewable electricity generation systems typically cover long time horizons and consider the development and use of emerging technologies. Therefore, assessing future life cycle impacts via prospective Life Cycle Assessment (pLCA) is essential. Despite increasing interest in pLCA, no standard methodology exists. Here we provide an overview of pLCA research focusing on electricity generation from photovoltaic (PV) systems, discuss key issues and provide recommendations for performing pLCA for PV. A semi-systematic literature review revealed shortcomings in all four stages of LCA. This includes shortcomings in systematic future scenario-building, which is crucial for improving the accuracy and applicability of pLCAs. Additionally, the integration of future market dynamics and environmental impact uncertainties remains underexplored in pLCA research. Many studies fail to incorporate prospective changes in background processes, unexpected environmental impacts, and resource criticality concerns when conducting pLCA. Finally, a more robust approach that includes Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and uncertainty analyses would enhance the predictive power of pLCA. To address these shortcomings, we provide recommendations and propose a step-by-step framework for performing consistent and transparent pLCA tailored to PV electricity generation. This framework is also adaptable to other renewable electricity technologies. The framework promotes collaboration between stakeholders, including LCA practitioners and technology developers. This work can further enhance the impact of the pLCA and facilitate scenario development, the procurement of prospective Life Cycle Inventories (pLCIs), as well as the interpretation process for future PV technologies and beyond.
Author(s): Rajaeifar MA, Fsadni MH, Wang P, Cucurachi S, Heidrich O
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Year: 2026
Volume: 237
Print publication date: 01/09/2026
Online publication date: 02/05/2026
Acceptance date: 26/04/2026
ISSN (print): 1364-0321
ISSN (electronic): 1879-0690
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2026.117059
DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2026.117059
Data Access Statement: The Data is provided in the Supplementary Material.
