Descripción del proyecto
Más información sobre la ingeniería verde para módulos fotovoltaicos reciclables
En la actualidad, los módulos fotovoltaicos afrontan retos en su reciclaje debido a su diseño, lo que da lugar a materiales reciclados de calidad inferior y a problemas de durabilidad. La separabilidad de los materiales dentro del módulo es una preocupación primordial. Para lograr la viabilidad económica del reciclado, son esenciales un alto rendimiento y la retención de la calidad del material. La elección del material y el diseño de la interfaz desempeñan un papel fundamental en el proceso de reciclado. El equipo del proyecto C2C-PV, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, desarrollará el primer módulo fotovoltaico totalmente reciclable. En el proyecto se aplicarán los principios de la ingeniería verde y la tecnoeconomía para crear un módulo fotovoltaico con un impacto ambiental mínimo durante varias generaciones y viabilidad económica.
Objetivo
The project cradle-to-cradle design of photovoltaic modules (C2C-PV) will design and build the first photovoltaic module with full cradle-to-cradle (C2C) recyclability. Achieving this goal requires a radically new design framework. Today’s photovoltaic modules were not designed for recycling, resulting in a recycling process that is slow and delivers materials of inferior quality. In contrast, C2C-PV will apply the principles of green engineering and techno-economics to create a photovoltaic module with minimal environmental impact over multiple generations and economic viability. Unique to this project is the design of a complex opto-electronic device from scratch according to these principles.
The scientific challenge of this proposal is to reconcile durability and separability. Current photovoltaic modules follow a “design for immortality” approach, monolithically integrating solar cells in a module to minimize exposure to the environment. This approach pits durability against separability and is the root cause of all challenges in current photovoltaic module recycling. Highly adhesive interfaces make a clean separation of components slow and challenging at best, and often infeasible. Yet, high throughput and retention of material quality are essential for the economic viability of recycling.
The key to resolving this challenge lies in the choice of materials and the design of interfaces. Following the design principles of C2C, the project C2C-PV will only use materials that can be produced and processed in a close-loop manner, avoid toxicity and scarcity, and are material- energy- and capital efficient. Interface design will focus on eliminating unnecessary adhesion and equip all necessary sealing with a mechanism for separation. Perovskite solar cells and photovoltaic modules will serve as a vehicle for demonstrating multigenerational close-loop recyclability. Tracking material-, energy- and capital flow over multiple generations will allow quantifying and op
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
ERC - Support for frontier research (ERC)Institución de acogida
52428 Julich
Alemania