On July 25th, at the Eco Recycling’s operative office in Via di Vannina 88, Rome (Italy), the Final Conference of the PhotoLife Project (LIFE13 ENV/IT/001033) was organized. The event was attended by the hosting company Eco Recycling, the Photolife partners (High Tech Recycling Center, Eco Power and Green Engineering) and some companies and research groups who welcomed the invitation guests to present their latest and innovative international projects.
Prof. Luigi Toro,CEO a t the Eco Recycling, welcomed the guests with a brief introduction to the Photolife project, explaining in what the project consists of and the goals that have been achieved. Following the Dr. Emanuela Moscardini, Managing Director at Eco Recycling, has provided the current overview of photovoltaic panels by referring to current legislation; she illustrated the Photolife innovative process and the activities needed to realize the prototype. Then Dr. Eng. Ludovica Baldassari, Project Manager Eco Recycling, has highlighted the main steps for the design and construction of the prototype, presenting the pilot plant main equipment and illustrating its main features. The presentation about the Photolife project was concluded by Prof. Francesca Pagnanelli of the HTR Research Center, which detailed the chemical treatment activities, experimental campaigns on innovative panels, products characterization and economic analysis.
After the Photolife project’s presentation, some of the participating research and development companies have shown to the audience the major projects they are involved in. Dr. Eng. Emma Palo, Project manager at KT - Kinetics Technology spa, illustrated a company's research line focused on the development and optimization of membrane reactors that are applied in processes to produce pure oxygen and gas-to-liquid and propane dehydrogenation processes. Such technological innovation would enable to develop high-efficiency processes which could be economically feasible by recycling the membranes to decrease their unit cost. Following Dr. Eng. Annarita Salladini, Project Manager at Processi Innovativi, showed several projects that PI have worked on, such as the prevention and enhancement of organic waste in biorefinery and the developmentt of innovative catalysts, focused attention to themes as energy-saving and circulary economy.
Subsequently, two LIFE projects were presented:
- Dr. Eng. Ida De Michelis, Researcher at University of L’Aquila, presented the LIFE BITMAPS project (LIFE15 ENV/IT/000332) “Pilot technology for aerobic Biodegradation of spent TMAH Photoresist solution in Semiconductor industries” that regards the management of exhausted dangerous substances as a development opportunity between private and institutional partners.
- Dr. Eng. Pietro Altimari, Researcher at the University of Rome “Sapienza”, spoke about the LIBAT project (LIFE16 ENV/IT/000389) a just started LIFE project that regards the primary lithium batteries recycle through a mechanical and hydrometallurgical processes.
At the end of the final conference and after a break for lunch, participants were accompanied in the Eco Recycling industrial site at Civita Castellana where the PVP treatment prototype is located. Here was the Open Day of the project where guests had the opportunity to visit the plant, guided in his illustration by Eco Recycling staff. The day ended with the return in Rome by bus.