PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL RECYCLING: TESTS IN THE PILOT PLANT IN VENICE AND SILICON APPLICATIONS FOR FERROALLOY PRODUCTION
- Pietrogiovanni Cerchier - 9-TECH, Italy
- Francesco Miserocchi - 9-TECH, Italy
- Luca Pezzato - 9-TECH, Italy
- Francesco Nisato - Green Propulsion Laboratory, Veritas SPA, Italy
- Graziano Tassinato - Green Propulsion Laboratory, Veritas SPA, Italy
- Carlo Grigolato - Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Italy
- Manuele Dabalà - Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Italy
- Katya Brunelli - Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Italy
- Pages
Access restricted to subscribed members only
Released under All rights reserved
Copyright: © 2024 CISA Publisher
Abstract
In 2020 9-Tech developed one of the most advanced technologies in Europe for recycling PV panels. In detail, the proposed technology is able to recover all the valuable materials contained in PV panels (aluminum, glass, copper ribbons, silver, silicon PV cells). The pilot plant, authorized by Veneto region in 2022, has been operating in 2023 showing good performances. The recovered PV cells contain mainly silicon that is a Critical and Strategic Raw Material, but the presence of aluminum paste and silicon nitride makes challenging its reuse. Therefore, several uses for silicon are being investigated under the PARSIVAL project, specifically in the photovoltaic sector, battery anode manufacture, and ferroalloy production use. In this work, the results of the tests in the pilot plant with the 9-Tech technology and the main findings regarding the possible use of the PV cells as reagent in STILLMETAL process for the production of ferrosilicon alloys are presented.Keywords
Editorial History
- Received: 20 May 2024
- Revised: 29 Jul 2024
- Accepted: 28 Aug 2024
- Available online: 25 Oct 2024
References
Cerchier, P., Brunelli, K., Pezzato, L., Audoin, C., Rakotoniaina, J.P., Sessa, T., Tammaro, M., Sabia, G., Attanasio, A., Forte, C., Nisi, A., Suitner, H., Dabalà, M., (2021). Innovative recycling of end of life silicon PV panels: ReSiELP. Detritus 41.
DOI 10.31025/2611-4135/2021.15118
Cerchier, P., Dabalà, M., Pezzato, L., Tammaro, M., Zucaro, A., Fiorentino, G., Ansanelli, G., & Brunelli, K. (2022). Silicon-PV panels recycling: Technologies and perspectives. La metallurgia Italiana
Chowdhury, Md. S., Rahman, K. S., Chowdhury, T., Nuthammachot, N., Techato, K., Akhtaruzzaman, Md., Tiong, S. K., Sopian, K., & Amin, N. (2020). An overview of solar photovoltaic panels’ end-of-life material recycling. Energy Strategy Reviews, 27, 100431.
DOI 10.1016/j.esr.2019.100431
EIT https://eitrawmaterials.eu/ (accessed 26 July 2024)
GSE (Gestore Servizi Energetici) (2022). Rapporto Statistico Solare Fotovoltaico 2023. https://www.gse.it/documenti_site/Documenti%20GSE/Rapporti%20statistici/Solare%20Fotovoltaico%20-%20Rapporto%20Statistico%202023.pdf
IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) (2023). Renewable energy statistics 2023. https://www.irena.org/-media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2023/Jul/IRENA_Renewable_energy_statistics_2023.pdf?rev=7b2f44c294b84cad9a27fc24949d2134 (accessed 4 April 2024)
Li, R.Y.M., Li, H., (2018). The challenge of sustainability in China’s built environment: a comparison between urban and rural areas. International Journal of Sustainable Real Estate and Construction Economics 1, 123.
DOI 10.1504/IJSRECE.2018.092269
Li, R.Y.M., Wang, Q., Zeng, L., Chen, H., (2023). A Study on Public Perceptions of Carbon Neutrality in China: has the Idea of ESG Been Encompassed? Front. Environ. Sci. 10.
DOI 10.3389/fenvs.2022.949959
Mazzi A., Barbiero C., Miserocchi F., Nisato F., Tassinato G., Cerchier P. (2024). Life cycle assessment of Al-Cu-Ag-Si recycling process from photovoltaic waste. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 211.
DOI 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107885
Preet, S., & Smith, S. T. (2024). A comprehensive review on the recycling technology of silicon based photovoltaic solar panels: Challenges and future outlook. Journal of Cleaner Production, 448, 141661.
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141661
Rahman, M. M., Mateti, S., Sultana, I., Hou, C., Falin, A., Cizek, P., Glushenkov, A., & Chen, Y. (2021). End‐of‐Life Photovoltaic Recycled Silicon: A Sustainable Circular Materials Source for Electronic Industries. Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research, 2.
DOI 10.1002/aesr.202100081
Sah, D., & Kumar, S. (2024). Experimental, cost and waste analysis of recycling process for crystalline silicon solar module. Solar Energy, 273, 112534.
DOI 10.1016/j.solener.2024.112534
Vinayagamoorthi, R., Bhargav, P. B., Ahmed, N., Balaji, C., Aravinth, K., Krishnan, A., Govindaraj, R., & Ramasamy, P. (2024). Recycling of end of life photovoltaic solar panels and recovery of valuable components: A comprehensive review and experimental validation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 12(1), 111715.
DOI 10.1016/j.jece.2023.111715
Wang, X., Tian, X., Chen, X., Ren, L., & Geng, C. (2022). A review of end-of-life crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic panel recycling technology. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 248, 111976.
DOI 10.1016/j.solmat.2022.111976
Weckend, S., Wade, A., & Heath, G. A. (2016). End of Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels (NREL/TP-6A20-73852; T12-06:2016). Paris, France: International Energy Agency (IEA).
DOI 10.2172/1561525