The PHOTORAMA consortium consists of a team of several organisations, each bringing their specific expertise to the project. We have asked Maria from IDENER to tell us more about what their role has been so far in PHOTORAMA.
Hello Maria, thanks a lot for taking the time to chat with us today. Can you briefly introduce your organisation, your team and explain its role in PHOTORAMA?
Certainly! IDENER, based in Seville, Spain, is dedicated to exploiting the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to boost advancements in science and engineering, with a commitment to generating value across various sectors. Our mission is to explore AI’s immense potential outside the traditional software domain, where vast opportunities remain largely unexplored.
Inside IDENER I work for the Chem Apps team, an integral part of our organisation, that specialises in developing AI-driven solutions tailored for the chemical industry. Our team has expertise in optimising engineering designs for chemical processes, ensuring that we deliver state-of-the-art innovations.
Regarding PHOTORAMA, we are tasked with the engineering design work necessary to integrate the various chemical processes for PV recycling within the pilot plant. Moreover, we are creating an advanced digital twin — a virtual representation of the plant’s processes. This digital model will serve as a crucial tool for simulating, monitoring, and optimising the plant’s operations, enabling us to push the boundaries of efficiency and sustainability in chemical processing.
What are you currently working on? What is happening now?
At present, our team is deeply engaged in the development and refinement of predictive models. These models are designed to accurately forecast the behaviour of the chemical processes, drawing upon the finalised design specifications and the data we’ve collected. This is a critical phase for us, as we do our best to bring together all the components to construct a powerful and practical tool that will significantly contribute to the success of the project.
What does your specific expertise add to the consortium?
Our team brings a unique blend of expertise to the consortium that is essential for the project’s success. We specialise in two distinct yet interconnected tasks.
Firstly, we have significant experience in the integration of leaching and electrodeposition processes. These processes have a complex relationship, and our know-how in bringing them together efficiently is invaluable. As technical partners are experts in their respective areas, our role in ensuring the whole integration of the processes is crucial for the development of a successful pilot plant.
Secondly, IDENER, possesses extensive proficiency in formulating mathematical models for both mechanical and chemical processes. This expertise is vital as it allows us to construct a virtual plant that serves as a sandbox for partners and stakeholders. Within this virtual environment, they can manipulate various parameters to observe and understand the outcomes of the recycling processes. This capability is instrumental in optimising the processes to meet diverse requirements, ensuring the pilot plant operates at its best.
Why, according to you, do we need a project like PHOTORAMA?
We need a project like PHOTORAMA because the recycling of photovoltaic (PV) panels is an essential endeavor. As the adoption of renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy, continues to grow, so does the eventual need to manage end-of-life PV panels. Ensuring that these panels can be recycled effectively is crucial for environmental sustainability and resource conservation. PHOTORAMA addresses this need by developing efficient and innovative recycling processes, thereby setting the stage for a more sustainable future in energy production and materials management.
What is the biggest challenge to bring upon PV circularity?
The biggest challenge in achieving circularity for photovoltaic (PV) panels lies in the integration of complex processes such as leaching and electrodeposition. These processes are inherently interrelated and add layers of complexity to the recycling operation. Moreover, implementing such chemical recycling processes demands substantial investment, which necessitates a high level of efficiency to justify the financial expense. Achieving circularity is economically viable only when we can process a substantial volume of panels. Therefore, the recycling process must be designed to accommodate a wide variety of panel types, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to maximise the economic feasibility of the project.
What would you like to have achieved at your scale by the end of the project?
I hope that the digital twin gives an insight of the capability of all the processes developed under the PHOTORAMA project and can become a tool to understand future developments.
Thank you, Maria, for this overview of your work in PHOTORAMA!