Sustainability

Climate change and environmental protection were a top priority for the elections held in April. With solid green backing from the electorate and an ambitious domestic agenda, Finland is due to assume the EU presidency from Romania. Across the EU green parties are gaining ground but the bloc has yet to draft a comprehensive climate protection bill. Finland’s ambition could change that.

The former director of Fraunhofer ISE will be officially elected at a general assembly planned for September. The ESCM wants a strong Europe to be part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and also pay attention to sustainability.

Dustin Mulvaney is a solar industry veteran. Associate professor at the Department of Environmental Studies, San José State University, in the United States, he recently published a new book this April, “Solar Power, Innovation, Sustainability, Environmental Justice”, which looks at creating a “more sustainable and just solar industry for the future.” A part of this is the creation of a new global sustainability module standard. He spoke with pv magazine as part of the launch of our new UP initiative.

An International Energy Agency report estimates the share of nuclear power in advanced economies could fall by two-thirds by 2040, as aging plants retire. The report claims without support for nuclear, the transition to a low carbon energy system would be far more complex and threaten global emissions targets.

The nation appears ready to join the ranks of global solar protectionists but any fears about its energy transition may be dampened by the introduction of one of the world’s first true carbon levies – provided emitters are not afforded too many loopholes.

In the coming weeks, months, and years, pv magazine will be digging deeper and expanding our sustainability horizons, defining – with your help – the most effective courses of action. What follows is an overview of current sustainability initiatives in the solar and, to a lesser extent, storage industries.

The notion of a circular economy is gaining traction, both in and out of the solar and storage industries. Recently, the European Commission wrote, “The circular economy is now an irreversible global trend,” and there are many initiatives taking place around the world to build a more circular society. As part of our new UP campaign, pv magazine spoke with material solutions provider DSM Advanced Solar to see what it is doing in this area.

In 2017, JinkoSolar was the first Chinese company, and the second solar company, to achieve cradle to cradle certification – a pioneering initiative aimed at designing products in an environmentally and socially positive way. pv magazine spoke to Radu Roman, Product & Business Development Manager – Europe at JinkoSolar about the process, why it is so important to the company, and what’s in store for the future.

Research by the University of New South Wales has examined the economic barriers, technologies and opportunities of recycling end-of-life silicon PV modules for profit.

Finnish clean-energy company Fortum has achieved a lithium-ion battery material recycling rate of over 80% — against what it says is a current rate of 50% — with a low-carbon hydrometallurgical recycling process.