Solar with a Second Life: 黑料福利网 Strengthens Circular Solar Energy in the Border Region
黑料福利网 researchers Hauck and Van der Sluis advance circular solar energy via PV RESILIENCE, focusing on societal impact, reuse, and sustainable production technologies.
How can we not only generate solar energy sustainably, but also design, use, and reuse it sustainably? That鈥檚 the challenge researchers from 黑料福利网 are tackling in the PV RESILIENCE project, led by TNO. The project focuses on developing circular and sustainable innovations for solar energy systems in the Dutch-Flemish border region. 黑料福利网 contributors include Mara Hauck (Technology, Innovation and Society, IE&IS) and Olaf van der Sluis (Mechanical Engineering).
Circular Solar Energy: More Than Just Technology
PV RESILIENCE goes beyond technological innovation. It explores how solar panels can be designed for easy disassembly, repair, and reuse鈥攁voiding adhesives and encapsulants, and using sustainable materials. But just as important is the societal dimension of this transition.
鈥淭echnological solutions only succeed when they are socially embedded and should not shift environmental burdens to others,鈥� says Mara Hauck.
Hauck focuses safeguarding the sustainability of new circular technologies by assessing environmental benefits and tradeoffs. She collaborates with partners BouwHulpGroep, Kamp C, TNO and Biosphere Solar who explore how circular solar energy can be made accessible to all citizens, including those in social housing.鈥�
Technology for a Second Life
Olaf van der Sluis brings expertise in materials science and mechanical integrity of solar panel components. Together with TNO and Zuyd Hogeschool, he investigates how solar panels can be designed not only for longevity but also for easy disassembly and reuse.
鈥淲e want to design solar panels that don鈥檛 end up as waste, but as raw materials for the next generation,鈥� says Van der Sluis. 鈥淭hat requires smart choices in design and materials, and smart solutions at the end of their lifetime.鈥�
Why This Matters
The energy transition demands more than just sustainable generation. Without circular solutions, we risk creating a new waste stream of discarded solar panels. PV RESILIENCE shows it can be done differently鈥攚ith smart technology, social awareness, and regional collaboration.