French CEA and Roctool, the specialists in mold heating and cooling technologies for plastics and composites, have joined forces to create innovative recyclable, bio-based photovoltaic panels.
The partnership, which started in May as part of the EasyPOC system, and is financed entirely by the Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with the CEA, aims to rethink and design panels in an eco-friendly manner. The CEA laboratories at INES and Roctool have been collaborating on the design of innovative photovoltaic panels, with faster manufacturing and made using recycled and bio based materials, for new applications including different methods of transport, water sports, automotive etc.
The team has been able to develop what they claim is the first bio-based and 100% recyclable photovoltaic panels, after four months of research and study. The study phase involved researching and supplying bio-based materials, as well as conducting transformation tests on them.
At Roctool’s test center, Roctool and the CEA have reportedly tested the implementation of the panels with dimensions of 300 millimeters x 300 millimeters on a tool. According to Roctool, the test results included excellent product quality and optimized cycle times that would reduce production time by four times.
At present, several series of panels and materials are still being tested to verify their performance and impact resistance, as well as performing aging tests of at least 1,000 hours. At this stage, the consortium is selecting raw material suppliers and will continue its development towards proof of concept on new Roctool tooling that will represent a reduced model of a vehicle hood.
CEA-Liten’ experience and Roctool’s know-how, make possible a new era of renewable energy, combining the use of bio-based and recyclable materials with a high-performance manufacturing technology to reduce the carbon footprint of the photovoltaic panels of the future. The team hopes to present the first prototypes by the end of 2021 or beginning of 2022 to industrial applicators, and contacts are already being made.
