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The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly clear, and the urgency of solving the energy and resource crisis has been recognized by politicians and society. One of the most important solutions is sustainable energy technologies. The problem with the state of the art, however, is that production is energy-intensive and non-recyclable was...
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... They mention that recycling could improve the environmental impact, but no practical experiments have been conducted so far [29]. In previous work, we investigated the recycling and remanufacturing potential of non-toxic DSSCs and found promising opportunities to use FTO-glass longer and integrate DSSCs in a glass recycling process [21,30,31]. ...
... If non-toxic DSSCs are used, they can potentially be used for conventional glass recycling [30]. When recycled cullet from DSSCs is used, indirect energy savings can be achieved because the extraction, mining, processing and transportation of raw materials are not required. ...
... Gap exploiter and access, selling or renting consumables with DSSC technology and taking it back for reuse or remanufacturing are some options. 5. DSSC can be used in glass recycling: At the end of the useful life, the non-toxic DSSC can be used in glass recycling [30]. ...
In a world with growing demand for resources and a worsening climate crisis, it is imperative to research and put into practice more sustainable and regenerative products and processes. Especially in the energy sector, more sustainable systems that are recyclable, repairable and remanufacturable are needed. One promising technology is dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). They can be manufactured with low energy input and can be made from non-toxic components. More than 70% of the environmental impact of a product is already determined in the design phase of a product, which is why it is essential to implement repair, remanufacturing and recycling concepts into the product design. In this publication, we explore appropriate design principles and business models that can be applied to DSSC technology. To realize this, we applied the concept of Circo Track, a method developed by the Technical University of Delft, to DSSCs and investigated which design concepts and business models are applicable. This method enables companies to transform a product that is disposed of after its useful life into one that can be used for longer and circulates in material cycles. The most important result is the description of a performance-based business model in which DSSCs are integrated into the customer’s building and green energy is provided as a service. During the operational phase, data is collected for product improvement and maintenance, and repair is executed when necessary. When the contract expires, it can be renewed, otherwise the modules are dismantled, reused, remanufactured or recycled.
Solar energy has an important role for increasing renewable energy use and circularity options in the sector are increasing. This study analyses the advances in the scope of the Sustainable Development Goals that aim to create a more equitable and peaceful world and a more livable environment. Studies that are focused on life cycle
perspectives, opportunities for end-of-life management, and multiple goals, including climate action as well as responsible consumption and production are compared. This is used to understand synergies between the circular economy and solar photovoltaic technologies in Türkiye. A need analysis survey is conducted with the participation of academic institutions and research centers, producers, and other stakeholders who operate in the solar photovoltaic sector in Türkiye. The results are analyzed across stakeholder categories and used to derive policy recommendations based on the top drivers, barriers, and enablers to increase circularity in the sector. The expected impacts on environmental, economic and social aspects are also questioned to obtain perspectives on possible pathways. For the first time, the realization of sustainable solar photovoltaic waste management in the context of the circular economy is discussed by stakeholders in Türkiye to establish consensus, increase collaboration, and support planning of future opportunities
The deployment of photovoltaic technologies is forecast to increase substantially in the near to mid future to meet society's energy demand in a sustainable way. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in...
: Porous organic molecular materials represent an emergent field of research in Chemistry and Materials Science due to their unique combination of properties. To enhance their performance and expand the number of applications, the incorporation of hierarchical porosity is required, as exclusive microporosity entails several limitations. However, the integration of macropores in porous organic molecular materials is still an outstanding challenge. Herein, we report the first example of a hydrogen‐bonded organic framework ( MM‐TPY ) with hierarchical skeletal morphology, containing stable micro‐ and macroporosity. The crystal size, from micro to centimetre scale, can be controlled in a single step without using additives or templates. The mechanism of assembly during the crystal formation is compatible with a skeletal crystal growt h. As proof of concept, we employed the hierarchical porosity as a platform for the dual, sequential and selective co‐recognition of molecular species and microparticles.
Resources are becoming more expensive and less accessible, for instance construction wood or semiconductors. In addition, climate change requires the conversion of the energy system to 100% renewable energy. Therefore, we need resources to prevent the climate crisis from worsening, but at the same time, we are suffering from a worsening resource crisis. State-of-the-art technologies, such as silicon-based photovoltaic or wind power plants, are harnessing renewable energy but causing problems and resource losses at the end of their useful life. This alarming situation must be addressed with renewable energy technologies that can be used longer, repaired and remanufactured, and properly recycled at the end of their useful life. An emerging technology that can complement the established systems is dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their production is less energy intensive and they can be manufactured without toxic materials. In line with the concept of the circular economy, the service life of all products must be improved in order to reduce resource consumption. Therefore, we investigated the potential for remanufacturing DSSCs by taking apart old DSSCs, cleaning the components, and building new DSSCs from the remanufactured components. The remanufactured DSSCs have the same or higher efficiencies and can be remanufactured multiple times.
