Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
Bringing their transformative innovations to this year's Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, researchers from Khalifa University of Science and Technology demonstrated how innovation can address environmental challenges before they snowball into major sustainability crises.
One of the innovations showcased at the World Future Energy Summit was a novel method of processing solar photovoltaic (PV) waste. Haider Ali Khan, a PhD candidate at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, came up with the solution as global solar PV waste is predicted to reach about 80 million tonnes by 2050.
Khan presented his research on the "solvent-based delamination of solar photovoltaics". He and his team have created a patented method that enables the effective disassembly of PV panels.
"We utilise certain chemicals in conjunction with high-temperature, high-pressure reactors after removing the aluminium frame," he explained.
"This procedure allows us to recover and repurpose the silicon by delaminating the glass, silicon, EVA layer, and back sheet."
By extending the lifecycle of solar technology and reducing waste associated with renewable energy systems, Khan added, the innovation supports the objectives of the circular economy.
In the field of water treatment, Anjali Sunder Lal Singhal Goyal, a PhD candidate, focused on the growing presence of water contaminants, particularly pharmaceutical compounds that are increasingly detected in water systems.
Goyal studied the development of a green dipolar solvent embedded within a membrane to remove emerging contaminants, especially pharmaceutical residues.
"We are using a two-component deep eutectic solvent that, when heated, turns into a liquid and functions as a stable additive inside the membrane," she said.
She highlighted the environmental safety and durability of the technology as key advantages. The membrane demonstrates long-term stability, as the compounds do not leach into the water. This makes the solution both economical and sustainable, as it can be reused over many years to remove pharmaceutical contaminants.
