Haiki Mines (Innovatec), V.E.R.I.T.A.S. and 9-Tech have signed a joint venture for the construction of the photovoltaic panel recycling plant in Porto Marghera. The project (PV Lighhouse) is bordered by the PNRR and the plant will contribute in a tangible way to the objectives of the PNRR and to the evolution of the circular economy in the photovoltaic sector.
A joint statement was released at the event, relaunched by various newspapers and reported below.
Milano, December 20, 2023: Innovatec S.p.A. (BIT: INC, ISIN: IT0005412298) through the subsidiary Haiki Mines S.r.l., V.E.R.I.T.A.S. S.p.A. and 9-Tech S.r.l. aim at technological innovation and the development of the Circular Economy in Italy by launching the Project “PV Lighthouse” to create the first highly innovative plant in Veneto for the treatment and recovery of photovoltaic panels at the end of their life The plant, innovative for its kind, was admitted by MASE as part of the Faro Projects using the resources of the PNRR measure 2, component l, investment 1.2.
The PV LIGHTHOUSE project involves the construction in Porto Marghera (Venice) of a cutting-edge plant capable of treating 3,000 tonnes per year of photovoltaic panels at the end of their life, recovering approximately 2,500 tonnes of precious materials composed as follows: approximately 350 tonnes of aluminium, 2,000 tonnes of glass, 24 t of copper strips and 84 t of photovoltaic cells and silicon (critical raw material). The plant innovation, with machinery meeting the requirements of Industry 4.0, focuses on a complete treatment cycle starting from a fully automated photovoltaic panel disassembly line equipped with the ability to recognize shapes, types and directions – thanks to systems of Artificial Intelligence – and then moving on to a thermomechanical treatment, patented by 9-Tech, capable of perfectly separating their constituent components. Downstream, a dedicated chemical system will allow the final recovery of precious and rare materials such as silver, used in the junctions between the silicon cells.
The plant, whose operation is expected within 14 months from the completion of the ongoing authorization procedure, will not only reduce the environmental impact resulting from the disposal of photovoltaic panels, but will pave the way for future developments in the sector of recycling photovoltaic materials. Cutting-edge technology and energy efficiency will be at the heart of this project’s success, demonstrating that sustainability and innovation can co-exist to shape a greener and more responsible future.
PV LIGHTHOUSE will contribute in a tangible way to the objectives of the PNRR and to the evolution of the circular economy in the photovoltaic sector and underlines the continuous commitment of the Innovatec Group in exploring and using new technologies to achieve the ambitious objective of recovering as much as possible the raw materials of products at the end of their life, guaranteeing an important step forward in the implementation of the principles of the circular economy, with environmental and economic benefits for the country.
Global demand for recyclable materials derived from photovoltaic panels that have reached the end of their useful life is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. This increase is fueled by the expansion of new photovoltaic installations and risks looming over raw material supplies. According to some forecasts, the market for recycled materials from solar panels should exceed 2.7 billion dollars and reach 80 billion by 2050. Italy is a particularly interesting market: with more than 880 thousand modules installed, important development prospects open up for the disposal and recycling of photovoltaic energy. Further research highlights that after 2030 there could be 400 thousand tonnes of material to be treated. They note that the market for the management of photovoltaic modules to be sent for disposal, which is still limited today, is destined to explode after 2030. In the base scenario, it is estimated that the modules to be treated will remain limited until 2031, before reaching 126,600 tonnes in 2034 and a peak of over 427,000 in 2036.
In summary, the market as a whole sees a strongly growing demand for recycled components for photovoltaic modules in the decades to come. At the same time, the recovery sector is now required to make rapid technological adaptation to encourage the construction of a mature industrial system to improve the selection capacity and increase the quality of the material, expanding its recycling possibilities and added value.
“For Haiki Mines, the collaboration with Veritas and 9-Tech within this synergy for the ‘PV Lighthouse’ project represents a further step in our journey to create a sustainable future” commented Flavio Raimondo, CEO of Haiki Mines Through maximum recovery of materials and the use of technologies at the forefront we will be able to chart a new path for the sector”.
“We are very happy that the PV Lighthouse project is coming to life. The transition from pilot to industrial scale is a great challenge and a fundamental step for our start-up because it will allow us to then be able to replicate it on other sites.”
declared Pietrogiovanni Cerchier, CEO of 9-Tech
“This is an initiative of very important industrial dimensions – states Massimo Zanutto – Energy and Heritage Director of Veritas – which we believed in right from the start, together with 9Tech and our company Depuracque. This project will allow the creation of a hub dedicated to the circular economy and the use of technologies capable of shorten treatment chains and experiment with recycling systems”.
Haiki MInes S.r.l. is controlled by Haiki+ S.r.l., sub-holdingof Innovatec Group active in the business of the Environment and Circular Economy with a plurality of plants for the treatment, recovery and recycling of materials: the mission of Haiki+ is to develop a network of plants aimed at providing Innovatec with an ever-increasing capacity to extract value from waste, making important technological investments independently and through strategic partnerships.
9-Tech S.r.l. is an innovative start-up that actively operates in the research and development sector. The main activity concerns the design and construction of new systems and processes for the recovery of strategic materials from electronic waste. The operational headquarters, in Porto Marghera, is hosted by the Green Propulsion Laboratory research centre. Here the start-up, thanks to the support of EIT RawMaterials, has created a pilot plant for the recycling of photovoltaic panels which allows the recovery of materials of greater purity compared to existing solutions. The start-up, which won first prize in Intesa Sanpaolo’s ESG challenge in 2022, holds several European patents and participates in several research and development projects.
V.E.R.I.T.A.S. S.p.A.is the first public multi-utility in Veneto and one of the largest in Italy. It provides environmental services (urban hygiene and complete waste cycle, integrated water service and other territorial public services) to the 51 member municipalities: 44 in the entire metropolitan city of Venice and 7 in the province of Treviso. Veritas is a joint-stock company with entirely public capital and operates in an area measuring 2,650 square kilometres, populated by 930,000 inhabitants, which has 50 million tourist presences every year (pre-Covid data; source: Veneto Region).
