ECO-PV AND ENEA
With ENEA for recovery of raw materials: Eco-PV Technology is born
With a view to a circular economy, the objective of collaboration between Eco-PV and ENEA is the industrialization of an innovative process for the treatment of end-of-life photovoltaic modules for the recovery, efficient and eco-sustainable, of the secondary raw materials.
With this mission is born also the company Eco-PV Technology, that is working on construction of the definitive industrial plant called ”Faster Green” to recover and recycle more than 95% of the materials that compose the photovoltaic module, such as glass, metals, silicon and plastics. Compared to those already patented and those implemented in commercial plants, the “Faster Green” treatment is more efficient from an energy point of view and completely eco-sustainable as it has zero emissions.
The eco-sustainability of the project is guaranteed by two characteristics:
- energy requirement’s reduction of the treatment process;
- zero emissions of pollutants
The project’s creators are Eng. Mauro Vignolini, ex ENEA manager, and Eng. Maria De Honestis, who worked as a Research and Development Engineer at Eco-PV Consortium.
HOW THE OPERATING PROCESS WORKS
Eco-PV provides for the aluminum frame and junction box of the photovoltaic module recovery. This is treated by machine able to recover fully the laminate glass. The second step includes the recovery of the exploitable metals, such as copper, aluminum, silver, tin and lead contained in the photovoltaic cells. Eco-PV Technology ends its operating process with separate recovery of silicon and plastic.
Today, according to the analyses being conducted in ENEA labs, the recovered metals in the ENEA and Eco-PV experimental plant are 99,9% pure by weight.
SOON THE PATENT
To safeguard the scientific and industrial know-how of Eco-PV and ENEA, this technological process, efficient and respectful of regulations, is currently being evaluated by technician and advisors experts in recovery sector. After it will be covered by a patent that will be deposited in Italy and abroad.