The project concerns a production system of floating platforms for the construction of photovoltaic systems. It includes a series of interventions on the production system, through rotational moulding, of plastic products to reduce and then eliminate the use of fossil fuels in the process, and finally arrive at producing floating platforms for the construction of photovoltaic systems on bodies of water of various kinds.
The production will therefore be obtained with the primary use of solar energy using high percentages of recycled polyethylene, minimizing if not eliminating the use of fossil fuels and virgin raw materials.
The first objective of the project is to experiment with the modification of the production cycle with the production of heat using the electric vector produced, for the most part, with a photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the factory. The use of the electric vector allows for more targeted and controlled heating which involves: the reduction (cancellation) of CO2 emissions, heat dissipation in the environment and the use of renewable electricity (mainly from photovoltaic). To increase self-consumption, the intention is to transform the electricity produced with photovoltaic, not used by the process, into thermal energy stored in an innovatively designed (patented) high-temperature accumulator that uses silicon carbide. By using a thermal storage capacity greater than that required to manage a single production cycle, it is also possible to recover the energy produced by the photovoltaic system on days when there is no work activity or when activities require less energy.
A second objective is to create, using the above-mentioned process prototype, structures with a high percentage of recycled plastic to support photovoltaic panels for floating systems with which to create a prototype system, in a real operating environment (TRL 7), to be tested on a pond in an agricultural environment. Overall, the project will create a process with a very low carbon footprint and low energy consumption capable of producing recycled plastic structures (therefore in the circular economy context) with the possibility of being associated with the creation of structures for the installation of floating photovoltaic systems with low environmental impact.
Coordinator: Zetaplast s.r.l
Start date: 2024 December
End date: 2026 march
Duration: 15 months
Call title: REGIONE TOSCANA PR FESR 2021-2027 RICERCA E SVILUPPO PER LE IMPRESE ANCHE IN RAGGRUPPAMENTO CON ORGANISMI DI RICERCA Bando RS2 2023 OP1 OS1 Azione 1.1.4 ”Ricerca e sviluppo per le imprese anche in raggruppamento con organismi di ricerca” Bando n.2 “Progetti di ricerca e sviluppo per le MPMI e Midcap”
Unipi role: Partner
