Italian startup Levante develops portable solar panels from recycled carbon fiber

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Italian startup Levante and Advanced Composites Solutions (ACS, Bologna and Tortoreto), a specialist in the design and manufacture of composite components for various industrial sectors, have collaborated to recycle carbon fiber waste to produce a A portable folding solar panel. The completed panel was recently awarded the 2022 Best Practice Innovation Award (greentech category).

The award is awarded by the Italian Salerno Industry Confederation (Confindustria
Salerno) promotion and organization, is a prestigious award that has been awarded to top Italian companies, affiliates and start-ups for the past 18 years, promoting initiatives for cultural innovation and project collaboration. 60 projects selected by Confindustria in the fields of IoT, digitalization and green technology competed for the award.

Levante founders Sara Plaga and Kim-Joar
Myklebust said the startup aims to simplify energy access with more efficient, versatile and convenient solutions. Said to be one of the top 50 European startups in sustainable mobility, the idea for the startup grew out of a problem that Praga and Myklebust felt firsthand; as sailors and campers, they felt the need to travel Energy is available anywhere.

This compact, portable and deployable solar panel was born out of this need. By simplifying the design of green energy by using recyclable and renewable products, Levante said it has revolutionized the concept of static solar panels, creating a patent-pending product that can be taken anywhere without the grid. use.

by engineer and entrepreneur Roberto
ACS, the international company Catenaro founded six years ago, supplied carbon fiber scrap recovered from the automotive industry for the project. According to ACS, nearly 40 percent of the carbon fiber used to produce a race car is thrown away (about 250 kilograms). Through this upcycling process, the waste fibers are then used to produce the frames, robotic arms and hinges of the solar panels to make the panels lighter and more portable.

“We have been working on research projects to improve our craftsmanship and technology while avoiding waste,” said Catenaro. “We are delighted that our collaboration with Levante has sparked interest from privileged observers. It drives us with greater determination and Passionately moving forward.”

“Levante wants to create a portable clean energy source, but it’s not enough to just create clean energy,” Praga added. “We want to take responsibility for the impact of the products we create. Working with our partner ACS allows us to combine and optimize the technologies available on the market and make them more effective for mutual benefit. We would like to thank Salerno Confindustria
of Salerno’s endorsement, which for us represents confirmation that we are on the right path to a world where resources are exploited in the best possible way. “