Energy System Collapse Across the Peninsula – Power Outage Paralyzes Spain and Portugal

29.04.2025

struja, električna energija, fabrika, industrija, nestanak struje — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (viktor-mogilat)

On April 28 at 12:30 p.m. local time, Spain and Portugal were struck by one of the most extensive power outages in recent decades, leaving millions of people without electricity, water, internet access, and under a state of emergency declared by the Ministry of the Interior. A complete collapse of the energy system halted public transportation, blocked airports, disrupted numerous services, including metro systems and elevators, and caused widespread chaos across the Iberian Peninsula. Although a significant portion of the power supply was restored and transportation services resumed by the following morning, the cause of the major outage remains unclear, despite operators denying the possibility of a cyberattack or sabotage.

Consequences in Daily Life

In both countries, which are highly dependent on digital infrastructure, the impact was immediate and severe. Metro systems in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Porto came to a complete standstill, similar to a recent incident in Chile, leaving passengers trapped in tunnels. Hundreds of trains were halted, including high-speed services between Madrid and Barcelona. City streets descended into chaos due to non-functional traffic lights, while major airports such as Lisbon and Madrid suspended all operations.

Hospitals operated on backup generators, but many medical procedures had to be cancelled. The lack of water supply and internet access further complicated the situation in healthcare facilities and private households. Authorities appealed to citizens to avoid calling emergency services unless absolutely necessary, to prevent overloading the system. In addition, police presence on the streets was significantly increased, as security risks tend to rise during widespread power outages, both in terms of traffic incidents and potential criminal activity.

The blackout also affected tens of thousands of tourists who happened to be in the region. Airports cancelled or delayed hundreds of flights. Although passengers were not entitled to financial compensation due to the extraordinary nature of the event, airlines were obligated to provide meals and, if necessary, temporary accommodation, according to international media reports.

While the basic functions of the energy systems have been largely restored today, following a near-complete blackout in Portugal and a widespread outage across many regions of Spain – including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and numerous other cities – the question remains: how could such a massive and simultaneous failure occur in two interconnected yet technically stable power grids.

Energy portal

EU Aviation Sector Almost Reached Pre-Pandemic Emission Levels – How to Reduce Pollution?

28.04.2025

airplane-avion — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in people’s mobility, resulting in a significant drop in emissions from the aviation sector. However, the latest data shows that by 2024, emissions have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, despite efforts to decarbonize the sector. Moreover, airlines still do not pay the full cost for the pollution they cause.

The organization Transport & Environment (T&E) believes that in order to reduce emissions, key European legislation needs to be expanded. This would also open the opportunity to mobilize billions of euros for the green transition.

Detailed figures show that in 2024, the European aviation sector achieved 96 percent of the number of flights and 98 percent of the emissions compared to 2019. In total, there were 8.4 million flights, resulting in the emission of 187.6 million tons of CO₂.

Regarding responsibility for pollution, there is a significant gap. Airlines only pay for emissions from flights within the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Yet, flights operating on other routes—those that are the largest polluters—are exempt from this system.

Had the European Union and United Kingdom’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) been extended to cover all flights during 2024, it is estimated that an additional 7.5 billion euros could have been generated. These funds would have been significant for investments in developing green technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels or electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft.

However, airlines continue to promote the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which allows for emissions to be offset through the purchase of carbon credits worldwide. This system charges far less for emissions compared to the expanded EU ETS. According to T&E, relying on CORSIA is not a good option, either environmentally or financially. Instead, expanding the EU ETS to cover all flights is seen as the best option for European economies.

The European aviation sector has still not fully taken responsibility for its emissions, concludes the latest analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E).

Energy portal

China Develops New Strategy: Electric Vehicles as Standard by 2035

28.04.2025

electric-car-gfdb2efda1_1920 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (andreas160578)

The Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China, in cooperation with nine other government departments, has released a new circular document setting the goal for fully electric vehicles to become the dominant choice in new car sales by 2035.

In order to accelerate the green transition, China will further promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles, environmentally friendly ships and airplanes, as well as the introduction of green and low-carbon solutions in postal and express delivery sectors.

The document also emphasizes the country’s determination to widely implement eco-friendly heavy trucks and to establish an efficient green fuel supply system for the transport sector by the same year.

To support this transformation, China plans to increase financial assistance through various mechanisms, including special local government bonds, green loans, and the issuance of green bonds.

Deeper Integration of Transport and Energy Infrastructure

China has announced an ambitious plan to transform its transport sector, aiming to establish by 2035 a modern energy system based on clean and low-carbon energy sources, technological innovation, and smart, sustainable practices. According to the Ministry of Transport, this strategy represents a key step toward deeper integration of transport and energy infrastructure.

Special focus will be placed on the development and use of clean energy along and near key transport infrastructure—including railways, highways, and seaports.

In the medium term, by 2027, a coordinated development mechanism between the sectors is planned to be established, laying the foundations for further reforms. It is expected that electricity will account for at least 10 percent of final energy consumption in transport, while the installed capacity of non-fossil energy production near key transport infrastructure will exceed five million kilowatts.

In the next steps, the Ministry of Transport, in cooperation with other departments, will develop action plans focused on implementing pilot projects, strengthening supervision, and evaluating performance. All these measures, according to the Ministry, are part of China’s broader strategy to achieve long-term carbon neutrality.

Energy portal

Strategically Placed Solar Panels Do Not Disrupt Agriculture – Food and Electricity on the Same Plot

27.04.2025

soalrni paneli, solar, agrosolar, poljoprivreda — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (michael-fortsch)

Instead of choosing between food production and electricity generation, farmers could potentially benefit from both, as confirmed by a new study from Michigan State University.

It is not necessary to convert entire arable lands into solar farms; instead, panels can be strategically placed on lower-yield sections of fields. This approach helps preserve agricultural production, conserve water, and enhance farmers’ financial stability. Additionally, the panels can be installed in specific ways—elevated or spaced out—to allow more light to reach the crops while still generating electricity.

The study, published on the Michigan State University website and conducted by doctoral student Jake Stid, analyzed the effects of combining solar panels with crop production using satellite imagery and land-use data spanning the past 25 years in California. His research revealed that farmers who allocated part of their land to solar panels were more financially stable per acre than those who either solely farmed or fully converted their land to solar use.

Stid and his team utilized previously published data on solar panel distribution in California, cross-referenced with crop prices, cultivation costs, and electricity revenues to calculate the profitability of different land-use models. Their findings indicate that the combined approach is the most economically resilient.

Rather than viewing agriculture and solar energy as mutually exclusive, the research proposes a collaborative model—where solar panels and crops coexist on the same land. In this model, a smaller portion of the field is dedicated to solar installations, while the majority remains in use for planting. This enables farmers to generate additional income from electricity sales, while also reducing costs related to irrigation, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment. The panels can also reduce evaporation and shield the soil from extreme weather conditions.

At a time when both the agriculture and energy sectors are facing shared challenges—from climate disruptions to rising costs—the synergy between these sectors offers a promising path forward.

Energy portal

Scientists from Vinča Designing a Multifunctional Filter for Wastewater Purification and Hydrogen Production

27.04.2025

PHOTO-2025-01-23-21-48-46 — Photo: Project team HYDIS

Imagine a piece of paper floating on wastewater containing harmless and natural particles. The sun activates these particles, and beneath the film, a miracle occurs. Bacteria are eliminated, pesticides, dyes, and other pollutants in the water are degraded, and as a result, hydrogen is produced, which can be used as fuel. This innovative idea is at the core of research within the HYDIS project, funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

The project brings together scientists from the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, the Institute of Chemistry, Technology, and Metallurgy, the Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, and the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy. The pollution issue in Serbia is highly relevant, and the HYDIS project is designed to contribute to solving this problem. The goal is to improve the quality of life by reducing pollution and utilizing alternative energy sources, such as hydrogen. At the same time, the problem of infections and the resistance of many bacterial strains to common antimicrobial agents necessitates new solutions. Using innovative materials activated by sunlight represents a significant step toward a healthier life for citizens and a more environmentally friendly approach to combating pollution.

IN FOCUS:

The HYDIS project focuses on developing nanomaterials based on metal oxides and natural organic compounds. Materials such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, known for their role in protecting the skin from UV radiation in sunscreens, are activated by sunlight in this research to be used for wastewater purification, even during winter months. Within the project, these metal oxides are combined with natural compounds isolated from plants, creating a material that, under the influence of sunlight, destroys pathogenic microorganisms, breaks down organic pollutants, and produces hydrogen— the fuel of the future.

Project team HYDIS

The story was published in the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Long-Term Profitability of Renewable Energy in the Shadow of High Upfront Costs

26.04.2025

solar, vetar — Photo-illustration: Freepik (freepik)

The decision to transition to renewable energy sources as an alternative to fossil fuels is often questioned due to concerns about financial viability, with high initial costs being the primary factor. However, new research published by EMBER shows that such investments, despite their upfront costs, bring significant economic benefits by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, stabilizing energy prices, and creating energy independence. In fact, the long-term profitability of renewables outweighs the short-term costs.

Dave Jones, Director of Global Insights at EMBER, illustrated this through a simple analogy, stating that fossil fuels are like renting a house, while renewables are like owning one—fossil fuels require ongoing payments, whereas renewables do not incur such recurring costs in the long run.

Almost 75 percent of the world’s population lives in countries that rely on fossil fuel imports. One example is Japan, which depends heavily on imports to meet 87 percent of its total energy demand. Following Japan are South Korea with 81 percent, Turkey with 69 percent, and Germany with 67 percent.

Why Are Imports of Renewables More Profitable in the Long Run?

The study notes that the cost of importing solar panels can be recovered in just one year, compared to the cost of importing gas for power generation.

Specifically, importing one gigawatt of solar panels costs 100 million dollars and can generate 1.5 TWh of electricity per year—equivalent to the energy generated from importing gas. However, solar panels are a one-time purchase, whereas gas imports are a recurring expense.

Although there are additional installation costs for solar panels—around 0.50 dollars per watt—solar panels remain more cost-effective in the long term.

The report highlights that the world is already producing enough solar and wind energy that, if used to power electric vehicles, could replace global gasoline consumption.

In 2024, global gasoline consumption (the energy needed to power all gasoline vehicles) amounted to 14,042 TWh. However, internal combustion engines in gasoline-powered vehicles only convert about 24 percent of that energy into movement, with the rest mostly lost as heat. This means only a small fraction of gasoline energy actually powers the vehicles.

In contrast, the same year saw 4,625 TWh of energy generated from solar and wind. Electric vehicles are far more efficient than gasoline vehicles, capable of using up to 84 percent of the available energy. This means that the majority of energy from solar and wind can effectively power electric vehicles.

Although renewable energy sources have not yet fully replaced fossil fuels, data demonstrating their long-term profitability can encourage further investment. With continued investment and development, renewables have the potential to become a key alternative to fossil fuels.

Energy portal

From Waste To Fashion Show

26.04.2025

Every year, tens of millions of tons of textiles are produced worldwide. The textile industry, which has become highly dynamic in the 21st century, impacts the environment like never before. Textile production is among the major polluters responsible for an enormous amount of water consumption, with used water being significantly contaminated by chemicals from the dyeing and fabric treatment processes. The fashion industry contributes to carbon dioxide emissions through its production processes and global logistics while simultaneously generating vast amounts of textile waste that ends up decomposing instead of being recycled or reused. Moreover, the business model known as fast fashion encourages excessive consumerism, as trends change rapidly, making clothing outdated in no time, leading to an accumulation of waste. The focus is placed on quantity rather than the durability of products, and this consumption pattern is also significantly affecting our region. However, there is another way – sustainable fashion.

Humana Nova was established as a response to social and environmental challenges identified at the beginning of 2011 in Međimurje County, in the far north of Croatia. A group of dedicated individuals, inspired by study trips across the European Union and examples of good practice in social integration, recognized the high unemployment rate among people with disabilities, members of the Roma minority, and middle-aged and older seamstresses who had lost their jobs due to the collapse of the textile industry. Aware that textiles were a major pollutant and were not being systematically collected then, the team decided to launch a project that would simultaneously address social and environmental issues.

From the very foundation of the Humana Nova Social Cooperative, the emphasis has been on integrating individuals from marginalized groups and developing a circular economy model. Establishing a sewing workshop and a textile sorting facility proved to be an effective solution. A key decision was also to register the organization first as a social enterprise and later as a non-profit company, which required reinvesting the first 70 percent and 100 percent of the generated profit into further business development.

IN FOCUS:

A Sustainable Future Through Textile Recycling and Repurposing

This social cooperative operates in two facilities: a sorting center and a sewing workshop. The textile sorting center first receives clothing donated by citizens at the site or collected through partnerships with private companies and in collaboration with municipal enterprises and initiatives organized in schools and kindergartens. Afterward, a team of workers sorts the clothing and fabrics based on their quality and potential for further use. Usable and well-preserved items end up in a second-hand shop, where they are sold at affordable prices. At the same time, some materials from the sorting facility are set aside for redesign and the production of new items. Unique clothing pieces purchased from the shop can be returned to the sorting center after use. Donating textiles to organizations such as the Red Cross, social work centers, or dog shelters is also an option.

Additionally, there is another form of textile repurposing. After further processing, some materials are used for industrial cloth production or sent for further recycling, where they are transformed into felt, one of the oldest types of fabric known to humankind. Currently, secondary gas production is also in development, in cooperation with partner companies.

In the sewing workshop, employees work daily to produce various clothing and other items made from recycled and eco-friendly materials. The creative team also organizes workshops where children and adults can learn how textiles can be repurposed into new products. In this way, Humana Nova directly reduces pollution and raises community awareness about the importance of responsible resource management.

Prepared by Milica Vučković

The story was published in the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Reverse Vending Machines – A Smart Solution for a Clean Future

23.04.2025

Foto-TOMRA-Collection-(2) — Photo: TOMRA Collection Srbija i Crna Gora

Plastic waste is one of today’s biggest environmental challenges. Every year, around 500 billion plastic bottles are consumed worldwide, with a significant number ending up in nature instead of being recycled. It is estimated that as much as eight million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, leading to an alarming forecast – by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the seas, measured by weight.

This is why society must recognize the importance of recycling and the circular economy in reducing waste and preserving valuable resources. Recycling saves energy that would otherwise be spent on extracting and processing raw materials, thereby contributing to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

IN FOCUS:

How Important is Recycling?

Some materials decompose extremely slowly or almost never. For example, it takes about 500 years for an aluminum can to decompose, but recycling saves up to 90-95 percent of the energy compared to producing aluminum from primary raw materials. PET plastic takes around 100 years to break down, with the most significant problem arising when it ends up in rivers, lakes, and seas. Glass does not decompose in nature. Still, it is fully recyclable and can be reused indefinitely.

It is essential to understand that packaging waste is not useless—it is a valuable resource that can be returned to the system and reused. Instead of ending up in landfills or, even worse, in nature, packaging waste can be recycled and used to produce new products. This reduces the need to exploit natural resources, contributing to environmental protection and the conservation of raw materials for future generations.

Recycling packaging waste also brings significant economic benefits. Materials such as plastic, glass, and aluminum can be reprocessed and used in manufacturing, reducing production costs and energy consumption. The recycling industry also creates new jobs and stimulates the development of a sustainable economy.

TOMRA Collection Serbia and Montenegro

The story was published in the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Power in Every Drop – How Rain Becomes Electricity

22.04.2025

puddle-g83e8a879b_1920 — Photo-Ilustration: Pixabay (pictures101)

Energy is all around us – in the air, in the waves, and even in the grass beneath our feet. The key question is no longer whether energy exists, but whether we can harness it in the right way.

In search of answers, scientists around the world are tirelessly developing technologies that allow us to extract clean energy from nature. One fascinating breakthrough comes from researchers at the American Chemical Society, who have managed to generate electricity using raindrops.

How does it work? When flowing water drives a turbine, it generates electricity – the basic principle behind hydroelectric power. However, this method requires large volumes of water and complex infrastructure, which limits its use to river flows and larger bodies of water. But what happens when we only have a small amount of water, like rain? This is where an innovative approach comes into play, one that relies on electrical charge separation.

When water flows through a channel with a conductive inner surface, it causes the separation of electrical charges. This phenomenon can be used to generate electricity, but previous attempts were inefficient because the interaction occurred only at the surface of the channel. Scientists tried to solve this by creating micro- and nano-sized channels to increase the surface area. However, water does not flow easily through such tiny openings naturally, and when it is artificially pumped, more energy is used than produced.

To overcome these challenges, researchers developed a new approach – using larger channels that allow rainwater to flow freely.

They built a simple system: water dripped from a metal needle, forming droplets similar to those that fall during rain. These droplets fell into a vertical, narrow polymer tube, 32 centimeters high and only two millimeters in diameter. When the droplets hit the top of the tube, short water columns were formed, separated by air pockets – a phenomenon known as plug flow. As the water moved down the tube, it came into contact with the inner walls, leading to the separation of electrical charges. The water was then collected in a container at the bottom, and wires placed at the top of the tube and in the container captured the generated electrical energy.

The results were highly encouraging: the system was able to convert over 10 percent of the energy from falling water into electrical energy. Compared to a constant, uninterrupted water flow, this method generated up to 100,000 times more electricity.

Even more impressive – in a second experiment, the team found that using two tubes simultaneously or in sequence doubled the amount of energy produced. When four tubes were used at once, they successfully powered 12 LED lights, which stayed illuminated for 20 seconds continuously.

This technology has the potential to offer a simpler, more affordable, and more sustainable alternative to traditional hydroelectric power. Due to its compact design, it can be easily adapted to urban environments – for instance, installed on rooftops where it would collect rainwater and convert it directly into energy.

Milena Maglovski

Circular Economy – A Goal or a Means of Waste Management?

21.04.2025

Image-by-Franz-W — Photo: Pixabay (Franz-W)

Photo: courtesy of Nemanja Stanisavljević

The last two centuries have been characterized by intensive exploitation of natural resources, resulting in significant changes in both natural and anthropogenic material flows. The need for developing and implementing a circular economy has arisen due to the excessive consumption of material goods in modern societies, coupled with waste generation, climate change, and detrimental environmental emissions. The circular economy (CE), serving as a foundation for the economy of the future, promotes responsible behavior towards secondary resources, advocating for environmental preservation while still maintaining the benefits of modern civilization. While these ideas and principles sound inspiring, the question remains: Is it genuinely possible to achieve such a balance, and under what conditions?

August Wilhelm von Hofmann, the first president of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a pioneer of the circular economy, stated in 1848: “In an ideal chemical factory, there is no waste—only products. The better a factory utilizes its waste, the closer it is to its goal—greater profit.” Today, even though the circular economy is recognized as the foundation of sustainable development, we remain far from Hofmann’s ideal. Furthermore, our task is even more complex, as we must optimize individual industrial processes and the entire anthropogenic metabolism, incorporating all economic and industrial sectors, consumers, and households.

A declarative commitment to the principles of the circular economy has become highly attractive—not only for the economy and industry but also for environmental protection. The Circular Economy Development Program of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2022–2024 establishes a legal framework aimed at creating an environment in which resources are used efficiently, environmental pressure is reduced, and economic development continues. The document Roadmap for Circular Economy in Serbia describes the circular economy as an industrial model focused on resource regeneration and waste reduction. The core idea of this approach is that waste does not exist—every waste material has the potential for reuse and must be fully utilized.

IN FOCUS:

Although this concept encourages a positive transformation of production processes, the question remains: How feasible is this approach in modern societies facing overconsumption (the very foundation of economic growth), increasing product complexity, waste challenges, and infrastructure limitations? It is essential to highlight that reducing environmental pressure while fostering economic development simultaneously remains one of the most significant challenges of contemporary societies!

This very challenge necessitates the definition and positioning of the role of waste management in the modern economy. Although in recent years, waste management goals have not been given much significance or discussed within professional and academic circles in Serbia, they have already been elaborated on in the public sphere. The anthroposphere consumes large quantities of materials, accumulates part of these materials in infrastructure over long periods, and generates significant amounts of waste daily. Efficient waste management is crucial for adequately addressing all outputs of the anthroposphere. These outputs, which may have been produced 10 or even 100 years ago, may contain legacy substances that are either currently unusable or banned due to toxicity or hazardous characteristics, such as mercury, lead, asbestos, cadmium, or brominated flame retardants (BFRs). These substances must be managed to prevent contamination of the circular economy. For this reason, the problem of waste and its management, treatment, disposal, and reuse as a secondary resource cannot and must not be viewed solely in terms of mass; instead, its chemical composition and hazardous substance content must also be considered. In the circular economy, waste containing hazardous substances must be purified (detoxified) before recycling, which is sometimes impossible or extremely costly. Moreover, new consumer products with complex chemical compositions appear every year, some of which may contain newly identified hazardous substances. These substances, together with legacy contaminants, pose a challenge to waste management systems and circular economy concepts.

Nemanja Stanisavljević

The story was published in the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Responsible Waste Management: Key to Sustainable Solar Energy

21.04.2025

The management of construction waste in Serbia is regulated by a series of laws and by-laws, with an emphasis on the Law on Waste Management and the Regulation on the Manner and Procedure for Construction and Demolition Waste Management. These documents provide basic criteria and guidelines for the responsible handling of waste generated during construction projects, including the construction of solar power plants, whether they are ground-mounted or rooftop installations. Although solar power plants generate clean megawatts, waste at construction sites is unavoidable. However, CEEFOR, a company with many years of experience in designing solar power plants, also has expertise in developing waste management plans.

These plans are created specifically based on the aforementioned regulations to forecast the types, amounts, and waste disposal methods at an early stage. One of the recent projects undertaken by CEEFOR involved the construction of a 4.1 MW photovoltaic power plant on the ground, with the total energy output being fed into the distribution system. This project required the installation of more than 7,300 solar panels with an individual power of 650 Wp. The company has developed a waste management plan for this project, which requires implementing the measures outlined in the Regulation.

These measures primarily focus on the separate collection of different types of waste, classification into categories (hazardous and non-hazardous), determining appropriate spaces for their temporary storage, and regulating the final treatment or disposal through cooperation with licensed operators. During construction, the most significant part of the waste will consist of wooden pallets, reels, and accompanying wood materials used for transporting, storing, and installing solar panels, inverters, and cables. Estimates for this project predicted about four tons of wood waste. In comparison, the other sources of waste will be plastic materials, about 0.005 tons (five kilograms), packaging films, protective covers, and other various elements.

A waste management plan was drawn up on the construction site, ensuring that wooden waste is stored in metal containers with a capacity of 10 m³. In comparison, plastic waste is disposed of in separate containers with a capacity of 1.1 m³. Thanks to such a system, materials suitable for recycling or reuse are not mixed with other types of waste or referred to landfills. In practice, wooden pallets that remain intact are returned to manufacturers or distributed to suppliers for subsequent transport processes.

In contrast, damaged ones are usually forwarded to recycling centers, where the wood mass is ground and prepared for secondary use in chipboards, boards, or biofuel. When it comes to plastic, it is treated by washing, sorting, and granulation, after which it becomes suitable for producing new products, which achieves multiple benefits for the economy and the environment. The authorized operator further monitors the dynamics of container filling, the time of removal, and the location where further treatment is performed.

IN FOCUS:

Roof-mounted Power Plant

Example Another project that was taken as an example of the waste management strategy concerns the construction of a solar power plant on the roof of the building with a total power of 120 kW. Although the capacity and scope of work are smaller than in the previous example, the basic principles of responsible waste management that the CEEFOR company adhered to remain the same.

The power plant consists of 312 solar panels with an individual power of 410 Wp. In this case, recording types of waste, determination of space for temporary storage, labeling, and safe transportation are also applied. The specificity of this project lies in the fact that the roof did not provide a large manipulation area. As a result, waste is collected in smaller containers, which, when filled, are transported to a separate location within the warehouse.

The types of waste generated by this solar power plant project include approximately 0.8 tons of wooden pallets and reels, about one kilogram of plastic waste, around 0.5 kilograms of copper, bronze, and brass, five kilograms of aluminum, 0.5 kilograms of mixed metals, and one kilogram of cables. Due to the relatively small quantities of certain materials, metal waste, and cables are most often collected in one container designated for mixed metals, with clear markings to ensure proper selection. Plastic is disposed of separately in its container, while wood waste is placed on a surface protected from precipitation, as in the previous example. After the installation is complete, the operator takes the waste and transports it to the facilities, where recycling, energy recovery, or, in the worst case, disposed of if some materials are not suitable for reuse.

Regardless of the type and capacity of solar power plants, both CEEFOR projects share a common feature: the critical importance of planning and implementing efficient waste management strategies from the outset of construction. This approach ensures that waste is disposed of responsibly, preventing uncontrolled disposal that could result in illegal landfills and significant environmental damage. CEEFOR adheres to the principles of sustainable development and continuously improves its practices and expertise in the areas where it achieves the best results.

Prepared by Milica Vučković

The story was published in the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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Roof-mounted Power Plant

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