| Project/Area Number |
20K20023
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 64060:Environmental policy and social systems-related
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo (2023)
Waseda University (2020-2022) |
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Principal Investigator |
TEAH Heng Yi 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 特任講師 (70822485)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2023)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
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| Keywords | lithium-sulfur batteries / thin-film si solar cells / carbon nanotubes / ex-ante LCA / sustainability / prospective LCA / lithium sulfur battery / thin film Si solar cell / resource sustainability / social LCA / LCA / Life Cycle Assessment / Lithium Sulfur Battery / Carbon Nanotubes / Low Carbon Technology / Thin-film c-Si PV / Rapid Vapor Deposition / Resource Sustainability / Emerging Technology / Renewable Energy |
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| Outline of Research at the Start |
Advanced innovative researches on carbon nanotube (CNT) have enabled wide possibility to revolutionize renewable energy technologies. Although the CNT-enabled technologies are premature, decision-makers need scientific methods to evaluate the benefits and impacts of the technologies. This study proposes an early-stage sustainability assessment framework to address the life cycle environmental impacts and the resource sustainability. We look into two case studies that have been developing in Japan: CNT-enabled thin-film silicon solar cells and lithium-sulfur batteries with CNT cathode.
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
This project proposed a framework to support laboratory experiments to innovate towards environmental sustainability. We applied LCA evaluation method in an iterative manner, to inform potential environmental consequences of an experimental decision. Therefore, the experimentalists could evaluate the technological improvements along with the environmental performances. Two case studies were investigated, thin-film silicon solar cells and lithium-sulfur batteries enabled by the carbon nanotubes technology. Apart from mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, these technologies have a broader social implication, (a) upcycling to-be-expected solar panel wastes, (b) reduce dependency on critical battery cathode materials.
The outcomes of the project were presented in several international conferences, invited lectures, conference proceedings etc. Currently, two peer-reviewed papers are under revision; two are in the process of submission.
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
1. Scientific. The project demonstrated a "concurrent technology development and assessment" concept to ensure an innovation is environmentally sustainable.
2. Social. We showed that thin-film Si solar cells and Li-S batteries can give Japanese renewable energy industry a competitive advantage.
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