Decarbonizing photovoltaic glass manufacturing in China: A factory-specific carbon footprint analysis

Photovoltaic (PV) glass manufactured in China constitute more than 90% of the global market. However, the carbon footprint (CF) released by domestic Chinese PV glass remains unclear, making it difficult to identify the price China has paid for global energy transition and decarbonization. In this study, we conducted factory-specific CF analyses of major domestic PV glass manufacturers to explore differentiated decarbonization strategies, and bottom-up revealed the overall CF burden of domestic deployment and global exports. The results showed a significant CF variation among factories, ranging from 1.08 to 2.03 kg CO 2 -eq/kg, with natural gas and electricity contributing 34.09–57.74% and 2.61–21.56%, respectively. Green energy utilization was identified as a common strategic priority, whereas technological innovation differed between factories. Global PV expansion has driven the consumption-side CFs of China's PV glass, increasing from 0.09 Mt CO 2 -eq in 2008 to 28.31 Mt CO 2 -eq in 2023, with over 70% attributing to exports. This implies that a substantial burden of CF is borne by China in terms of global PV development. Our results underscore the necessity of advancing factory-differentiated decarbonization strategies and call for equitable emission responsibility sharing to promote both production- and consumption-side sustainability. • Photovoltaic glass carbon footprint assessed using Chinese plant-level data. • Results among factories vary significantly, ranging from 1.08 to 2.03 kg CO 2 -eq/kg. • A dual structure led by natural gas and electricity dominates the carbon footprint. • Calls for a fairer consumption-based carbon accounting framework.