Reuse, Redesign and Recovery of Residential Solar Installations Components

MUTABLE project is an industrial research initiative focused on applying circular economy principles in residential photovoltaic (PV) and photovoltaic-thermal (PVT or hybrid) installations. The overarching goal of MUTABLE is to define and develop an integral circularity strategy applicable to small self-consumption solar installations. This includes photovoltaic and hybrid installations, as well as complementary energy systems such as heat pumps, recovery devices, and storage systems. The project is structured around three interconnected pillars: reuse, redesign, and recovery, with the aim of defining methodologies to identify the most suitable route for each component of a solar installation and to determine maintenance needs to extend their lifespan. Key activities within the project involve the disassembly and reassembly of photovoltaic, solar hybrid, and complementary installations, followed by monitoring their performance before and after these processes to validate operation and quantify reuse percentages. This initiative is expected to provide valuable knowledge to develop new products, processes, and services with a reduced environmental footprint, ultimately increasing efficiency in solar residential energy use and minimizing waste generation.