9-Tech is a new innovative start-up that studies and prototypes new processes and pilot plants in the context of circular economy, in particular technology for the recovery of strategic metals from e-waste: gold from PCBs, cobalt ad litium from Li-ion batteries. Among the technologies under studying, the one with higher TRL concerns PV waste recycling.
Interview with Pietrogiovanni Cerchier, CEO of 9-Tech.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Pietrogiovanni Cerchier: During 2020 with the 9PV project, we realized a new prototype for the profitable recovery of raw materials from end-of-life PV panels.
The main business deal of the company is to sell, in Italy and Europe, PV recycling plants that will allow to recover more materials and with higher purity in comparison with existing solutions. On the other hand, 9-Tech also aid in the engineering of other pilot plants and try to develops its own technologies for licensing.
In 2021 will collaborate with Veritas research projects: Purple-B and ModSEN.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
P.C: Research and development on WEEE recycling and prototypes for test circular economy solutions.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
P.C: 9-Tech realize only brand-new equipment, e.g., for PV the plant is new (two EU patent applications) as it optimizes the dismounting PV in terms of energy efficiency and the purity of recovered materials.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
P.C: At the moment all products are at pilot stage. The products are very different as they can be based on mechanical, thermal, chemical or biological processes.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
P.C: Very few solutions are industrialized for PV recycling as the amount of PV waste is increasing these years.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
P.C: The WEEE amount is continuously growing.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
P.C: Still not product launched on the market only research services.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?
P.C: Testing 9PV plant, and finalize other prototypes (Purple-B for Veritas, Chemical plant for WEEE treatments and prototype for fruit harvesting).
