Hello world!

We are happy to launch our project website PHOTORAMA.

PHOTORAMA stands for “PHOtovoltaic waste management – advanced Technologies for recOvery & recycling of secondary RAw MAterials from end-of-life modules” and is funded by the EU framework programme H2020.

The overall concept of PHOTORAMA is to develop and demonstrate new ecosystems of innovation leading to successful and competitive solutions to launch sustainable markets for secondary Raw Materials in Europe (RM). We aim to contribute to a clean generation of solar energy by providing innovative solutions to the waste problem generated by the growth in use of photovoltaic (PV) panels and by ensuring the availability of RM through recycling. While strong efforts have been invested for the manufacturing stage to reduce environmental impacts, the End-of-Life (EoL) of PV devices remains a major challenge that PHOTORAMA will tackle with smart and efficient solutions.

The PV value chain is at the heart of PHOTORAMA to secure both clean and efficient energy and sustainable access to RM in Europe. We foresee a circular industry that will bridge and connect sectors from collection to production of secondary RM. The global and systemic vision takes on their reintroduction to RM industries as new materials or new products by bringing together cross-sectoral value chains.

For this purpose, PHOTORAMA will set up a full management-Pilot Line including all needed interrelated successive steps: auto disassembly, smart separation and innovative recovery of metals from solar cells (Si, Ag, In, Ga). To close the loop, all fractions of PV EoL components will be either directly recovered as energy fuel, re-used or recycled as RM feedstock to build new PV panels or other new products. The core strategy is to draw up a global recycling scheme considering carefully economic, environmental and social (awareness) dimensions.

PHOTORAMA’s objectives will be carried by a great interdisciplinarity team of 13 partners composed of several stakeholders from the PV EoL value chain.

On this website, you will find all the relevant information about PHOTORAMA, our project description, our expected impacts and progress, any news and new publications put forward by the consortium.