Life Cycle Assessment of a high altitude photovoltaic plant: the case study of the Pyramid International Laboratory in Nepal

Photovoltaic devices are spreading widely, even in rural and remote areas to provide off-grid electricity to schools, hospital or laboratories. In these cases, particular attention should be paid to the production and transport phases, often carried out in extreme conditions. This research aims at assessing the sustainability degree of the high altitude PV plant installed from 1993 to 2013 at the Pyramid International Laboratory/Observatory (5,050 m a.s.l.) in the Khumbu Valley, at the base of the Nepalese side of Everest. The high altitude center deals with scientific research on environment, climate, human physiology and geology. In October 2013, the Pyramid facade panels, those of the lodge roof and other electrical devices, were replaced without any suspension in electricity supply. The study was conducted according to principles of Life Cycle Assessment, currently the best technique to quantify environmental impacts considering all stages of the life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the end life. The PV system was characterized in terms of carbon footprint per kWhe as functional unit, as well as the reference scenario, which refers to a standard supply of electricity, i.e. electric generator. On the basis of plant operative data, monitored for a long time, a comparative assessment was carried out to evaluate the contribution of Pyramid to the reduction of pollutant emissions in the Khumbu Valley. The results could be significant from the electricity access perspective in unconventional conditions through renewable based distributed generation, which can contribute to poverty reduction and climate change mitigation.