Concentrating solar power (CSP) has received significant attention among researchers, power-producing companies and state policymakers for its bulk electricity generation capability, overcoming the intermittency of solar resources. The parabolic trough collector (PTC) and solar power tower (SPT) are the two dominant CSP systems that are either operational or in the construction stage. The USA and Spain are global leaders in CSP electricity generation, whereas developing countries such as China and India are emerging by aggressive investment. Each year, hundreds of articles have been published on CSP. However, there is a need to observe the overall research development of this field which is missing in the current body of literature. To bridge this gap, this study 1) provides a most up-to-date overview of the CSP technologies implemented across the globe, 2) reviews previously published review articles on this issue to highlight major findings and 3) analyzes future research trends in the CSP research. Text mining approach is utilized to analyze and visualize the scientific landscape of the research. Thermal energy storage, solar collector and policy-level analysis are found as core topics of discussion in the previous studies. With a holistic analysis, it is found that direct steam generation (DSG) is a promising innovation which is reviewed in this study. This paper provides a comprehensive outlook on the CSP technologies and its research which offers practical help to the future researchers who start to research on this topic.

A comprehensive review of state-of-the-art concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies: current status and research trends

The purpose of this paper is to explore how rising technologies from Industry 4.0 can be integrated with circular economy (CE) practices to establish a business model that reuses and recycles wasted material such as scrap metal or e-waste.,The qualitative research method was deployed in three stages. Stage 1 was a literature review of concepts, successful factors and barriers related to the transition towards a CE along with sustainable supply chain management, smart production systems and additive manufacturing (AM). Stage 2 comprised a conceptual framework to integrate and evaluate the synergistic potential among these concepts. Finally, stage 3 validated the proposed model by collecting rich qualitative data based on semi-structured interviews with managers, researchers and professors of operations management to gather insightful and relevant information.,The outcome of the study is the recommendation of a circular model to reuse scrap electronic devices, integrating web technologies, reverse logistics and AM to support CE practices. Results suggest a positive influence from improving business sustainability by reinserting waste into the supply chain to manufacture products on demand.,The impact of reusing wasted materials to manufacture new products is relevant to minimising resource consumption and negative environmental impacts. Furthermore, it avoids hazardous materials ending up in landfills or in the oceans, seriously threatening life in ecosystems. In addition, reuse of wasted material enables the development of local business networks that generate jobs and improve economic performance.,First, the impact of reusing materials to manufacture new products minimises resource consumption and negative environmental impacts. The circular model also encourages keeping hazardous materials that seriously threaten life in ecosystems out of landfills and oceans. For this study, it was found that most urban waste is plastic and cast iron, leaving room for improvement in increasing recycling of scrap metal and similar materials. Second, the circular business model promotes a culture of reusing and recycling and motivates the development of collection and processing techniques for urban waste through the use of three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies and Industry 4.0. In this way, the involved stakeholders are focused on the technical parts of recycling and can be better dedicated to research, development and innovation because many of the processes will be automated.,The purpose of this study was to explore how Industry 4.0 technologies are integrated with CE practices. This allows for the proposal of a circular business model for recycling waste and delivering new products, significantly reducing resource consumption and optimising natural resources. In a first stage, the circular business model can be used to recycle electronic scrap, with the proposed integration of web technologies, reverse logistics and AM as a technological platform to support the model. These have several environmental, sociotechnical and economic implications for society.,The sociotechnical aspects are directly impacted by the circular smart production system (CSPS) management model, since it creates a new culture of reuse and recycling techniques for urban waste using 3D printing technologies, as well as Industry 4.0 concepts to increase production on demand and automate manufacturing processes. The tendency of the CSPS model is to contribute to deployment CE in the manufacture of new products or parts with AM approaches, generating a new path of supply and demand for society.

Exploring Industry 4.0 technologies to enable circular economy practices in a manufacturing context: A business model proposal

An overview of solar photovoltaic panels’ end-of-life material recycling

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ese3.239

Solar power technology for electricity generation: A critical review

https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54376/Download/54376__17490__dd6fd639a69a462e9b3428c85bb9d895.pdf

Energy for desalination: A state-of-the-art review

Reverse logistics (RL) and the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) are integral parts of the holistic waste management process. One of the important end-of-life (EOL) products considered in the RL/CLSC is Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)/E-waste. Numerous research papers were published in the RL and CLSC disciplines focusing WEEE separately. However, there is no single review article found on the product-specific issues. To bridge this gap, a total of 157 papers published between 1999 and May 2017 were selected, categorized, analyzed using content analysis method. The method involves four steps: material collection, descriptive analysis, category selection and material evaluation. For the systematic literature review, the steps were followed and four main types of research in the field of RL and CLSC of E-waste, namely designing and planning of reverse distribution, decision making and performance evaluation, conceptual framework, and qualitative studies were identified and reviewed. Research gaps in literature were diagnosed to suggest future research opportunities. The review first of its kind that may provide a useful reference for academicians, researchers and industry practitioners for a better understanding of WEEE focused RL/CLSC activities and research.

Reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)/E-waste: A comprehensive literature review

PV modules which are installed worldwide have a defined lifetime for useful service after which the panels become End-of-Life (EoL) products. An enormous amount of obsolete solar PV modules will be added to the waste stream in the near future. Hence, the EoL photovoltaic waste stream could cause an appalling problem in the future if a holistic management strategy is not considered. Despite the vast research on photovoltaic technology, little is known about the perspective of how the EoL PV modules will be handled. The current study systematically investigates global research on EoL PV modules to identify gaps for further exploration. The review reveals that most of the research concentrates on the recovery and recycling of PV panels. Also, the vast majority of the research is mostly carried out in laboratory-scale. The geographical distribution of the studies was concentrated on 15 countries including the USA, Italy, and Taiwan, the latter of which has produced the most publications. Life-cycle-assessment and reverse logistics (RL) are two critical aspects of PV waste management and have only recently received attention from researchers, with 11 and six papers respectively. There are still many countries which have not attempted to forecast their EoL solar-panel waste stream and develop recycling infrastructure. Based on review findings, the future research must be focused on forecasting the PV waste streams, development of recycling technologies, reverse logistics and the policies of individual PV consumer countries. Finally, this study develops a foundation for future research on Photovoltaic waste management to build upon.

Tasbirul Islam

Papers

A comprehensive review of state-of-the-art concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies: current status and research trends

Reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)/E-waste: A comprehensive literature review

End-of-life photovoltaic modules: a systematic quantitative literature review

Material flow analysis (MFA) as a strategic tool in E-waste management: Applications, trends and future directions.

Exploitation of renewable energy for sustainable development and overcoming power crisis in Bangladesh.