The crisis situation in which most of the major countries has been involved in recent years has led companies and governments to be more responsible for environmental issues. Greater responsibility for environmental sustainability is one of the main themes for economic recovery. To produce in a more sustainable way it is necessary to rethink the products and related production processes. Process innovations in recent years are based on the use of renewable sources, such as photovoltaic panels. The production systems that generate part of their energy from photovoltaic panels differ from the others because they can be exploited only during a limited period of the day. For example, biomass plants can remain in operation for 24 hours. The advantages offered by the energy requalification resulting from the installation of photovoltaic panels are energy saving, the reduction of emission of polluting agents. Considering that a photovoltaic panel has an average life expectancy of many years (from 20 years upwards), a modern photovoltaic panel with crystalline silicon cells is almost completely realized with recyclable materials, therefore perfectly in line with the concept of circular economy . The economic savings that can be considered immediately, but the productive life of a plant is about 20 years. In the case study analyzed are shown the benefits obtained from investments by a company in central Italy after the installation of photovoltaic systems. The company has a monthly energy requirement of 894 kWh, for a cost of € 419.75 while the annual requirement of about 9490 kWh. The total expenditure for the purchase of electricity is 52.326 euros, the total tax benefit of the investment is 5.345 euros, the total received from the stock exchange on the spot amounts to 13.444 euros, all for a total savings of 57.610 euros, equal as a percentage of energy savings of 53% over a period of 20 years. The company in the absence of a photovoltaic system is equal to € 109.03, while in the presence of a plant, considering also all costs incurred for € 93.090, with a percentage of profit on the investment made equal to almost 15% in 20 years.
Keywords: Circular Economy, Sustainable Development, Process Innovation, Photovoltaic Panel, Energy Saving.
Keywords: Circular Economy, Sustainable Development, Process Innovation, Photovoltaic Panel, Energy Saving.
References
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4b. Affordable and clean energy
