Bertrand Lempkowicz, PR, Marketing & Communication Manager, at PV CYCLE, popped in to PES to discuss the importance of recycling and managing waste produced by so called ‘green energy’. Our industry should definitely make this an even higher priority.
PES: Welcome back to PES Solar/PV magazine, it’s great to talk with you again. For the benefit of our new readers would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of PV CYCLE and the importance of the solar/PV industry to you?
Bertrand Lempkowicz: PV CYCLE was built on a voluntary basis, during the very first years of the photovoltaic Industry. At the very beginning, manufacturers were proud to be able to offer alternative renewable energy to fossil and nuclear energy and with good reason, but as for all types of energy, the end of life of the equipment must be taken into consideration.
PV CYCLE was founded with PV modules in mind, by and for the photovoltaic Industry, which will now a few years later, can propose solutions for efficient recycling built on the experience gained from the first returns of broken, defective or end-of-life panels.
On the other hand, when Europe introduced the photovoltaic panels into the WEEE directive, obliging producers to comply with the obligations of recovery and recycling used equipment, we were already in a position to help deal with this and there was a rapid deployment of PV CYCLE throughout Europe.
A photovoltaic installation will take between 2 and 4 years to amortise a carbon foot print depending on the sun and will continue to produce electricity for 20 or 30 years.
By the way, if you take a look to the rising curve of the photovoltaic market, the industry is not only ecologically interesting but also financially.
PES: Could you tell us which type of companies need customised solutions and why?
BL: Any company could need a customised solution, be it a multinational wishing a shared service throughout many countries, the small installer anxious to offer a quality service, but who doesn’t have solutions nearby, governments or communities who want to set up a collection system, PV CYCLE can intervene whatever the
need and the customer can safely rely
on our experience.
