Sustainable Solar Europe is a crucial event providing a broad view of different aspects of sustainability in the solar PV sector by bringing together a variety of stakeholders: industry players, academics, policymakers etc. PHOTORAMA is pleased to participate in three engaging sessions at the Sustainable Solar Europe Event on December 7th 2023.
The Role of Innovation in Shaping a Sustainable Solar Industry
The panel will show how European innovation is shaping sustainable PV technologies, contributing to the solar industry’s future. It will bring together representatives from five EU-funded projects – RESiLEX, TRUSTPV, CIRCUSOL, ICARUS and of course PHOTORAMA. Together, we will discuss the unique role of shaping a sustainable solar industry, related to recycling silicon from old PV panels, improving the performance and reliability of solar PV components, developing circular business models for the industry, and transforming waste streams into secondary raw materials. The aim of the session will entail depicting how the EU projects fit into the larger picture of creating a more sustainable and efficient solar industry in Europe. The session will cover the following topics:
- The importance of innovation in shaping a sustainable solar industry
- Challenges and opportunities that arise with developing sustainable
solar technologies - The role of collaboration and cross-sectoral partnerships in advancing
sustainable solutions for the solar industry - Q&A that will give the audience the possibility to know more about the
projects and how innovation will impact the future of the industry
Speakers & Moderation
Daniela Ariolli, Sustainability and Circular Economy Specialist , BayWa r.e. EMEA
Francisco J. Luque-Ruiz, Senior Project Manager, ISMC Cluster and Strategy Director of Talentia NetworkDr. Yijiang Xu, Research Scientist, SINTEF Industry
Dr. Claire Agraffeil, Project Coordinator, CEA, Belgium
Tom Rommens, Researcher, VITO, Belgium
Creating a Sustainable and Circular Solar Industry
The session will highlight the importance of creating a sustainable and circular solar industry in Europe, with a particular focus on restoring the value chain for PV. With the increasing demand for renewable energy sources, it is crucial to consider the entire life cycle of PV systems, from raw material extraction to end-of-life management. The session will explore how to integrate circularity principles right from the beginning of the PV value chain.
Speakers & Moderation
M. Alexis Barrou, R&D Engineer, CSEM, Switzerland
Arvid van der Heide, Researcher PV Modules, IMEC
Dr. Karsten Wambach, Deputy Managing Direcor, Bifa Umweltinstitut Gmbh
Manfred Spiesberger, Project Manager & Researcher, Centre for Social Innovation ((ZSI)
Sustainable End-of-life Solutions for Solar Products
Solar technologies have unique features at their end-of-life stage. Current recycling processes for solar panels allow for a technical recycling yield of up to 90% by weight, while the current EU legislation, the WEEE Directive, already requires recycling of solar panels. With an anticipated multi-TW growth of solar capacity in the EU to meet climate, energy and security ambitions, optimising end-of-life management practices in the solar industry becomes a crucial task. This session will explore the latest developments across end-of-life practices for solar, including recycling, reuse, and repowering, from the perspective of different stakeholders in the sector.
Speakers & Moderation
Maria Banti, Policy Officer, European Commission
Nicolas Defrenne, Managing Director, Soren
David Moser, EURAC
Save the Date: December 7
Location: La Tricoterie, Brussels
Learn more at https://www.sustainable-solar-europe.com/