The collaborative industrial R&D project entitled “New generation of photovoltaic technologies to reduce energy costs through circularity strategies”, with the acronym SUNRISE PV, has been funded by the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) and supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation under the 2022 Missions Science and Innovation Programme call.
This initiative, which will run until 2025, proposes solutions and innovations across the different stages of the photovoltaic value chain, including PV modules, trackers or support structures, power converters, photovoltaic inverters, storage systems, and plant operation and maintenance. The research activities are focused on three main areas.
The first area addresses the development of new materials and manufacturing processes for photovoltaic modules and other components, enabling higher conversion efficiencies and reduced manufacturing costs. The second area focuses on new operation and maintenance processes to achieve more durable, efficient, and reliable photovoltaic systems.
Finally, the research covers new processes for the recovery and reuse of critical materials and components within the photovoltaic value chain, with the aim of increasing their value and improving the environmental impact of photovoltaic technology.
These three lines of action converge toward a final objective: to optimize renewable energy production from photovoltaic sources, reducing both energy and economic costs of the technology (improving the LCOE), while significantly advancing the efficiency, flexibility, and management of photovoltaic plants within an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable framework.
Within the project, Técnicas Reunidas will lead the research on new recycling processes for photovoltaic module components at end of life, specifically focusing on the recovery of valuable metals for the photovoltaic industry from solar panels whose lifecycle (both first and second life) has come to an end.