CIRCOLAR

At the start of the project, excursions and input sessions provided an opportunity to gather some thoughts on conventional photovoltaic systems and gain many valuable insights. It quickly became clear that little or no consideration is given to the concept of recycling and the recyclability of commercially available plug-in solar devices, and that the devices can rarely be recycled after their useful life. CIRCOLAR takes an alternative approach and attempts to rethink private photovoltaic products. What if plug-in solar devices were not glued together, but simply held in place by the negative pressure of a vacuum? What if all components of the product could be sorted and recycled as needed and returned to the material cycle? In addition, repairs to the system are often difficult due to the non-modular design of current market products, which should also be taken into account with CIRCOLAR. Because the photovoltaic product is installed indoors rather than outdoors, it does not have to withstand weather conditions and does not require the usually complex and costly installation on facades or balcony railings. CIRCOLAR can be easily clamped into the window reveal using a telescopic rod and, if necessary, can be flexibly installed and removed without drilling or leaving any permanent marks on the living space. While the room and window are not in use, the module hangs in front of the window and converts the incoming solar energy into electricity. If the view from the window needs to be cleared, the module can be rolled up by pumping air into it, thus clearing the view. This eliminates the need for additional components such as hinges or joints.

The amount of material actually required to manufacture a plug-in solar device was examined, as well as what could be deliberately omitted from the chosen approach. During the development process, the materials were examined for their functionality, reducibility, and interchangeability. In order to make the materials used transparent and to convey to users in a comprehensible way which components are contained in the product, why they are used, and what significance this may have for them, CIRCOLAR was provided with appropriate labeling. This serves both as a design element and as a source of information. In addition, a QR code is integrated, which can be used to access further information, for example on materials, use, or returning or sending in the module.
CIRCOLAR is an experimental approach to rethinking balcony power plants. The aim is to make solar energy more visible and accessible to as many people as possible. In terms of efficiency, however, the system is not yet competitive with the modules currently available. At the same time, the idea has great potential: CIRCOLAR opens up the possibility of generating electricity from solar energy indoors. The concept thus responds to the living reality of many people in Germany who rent their homes and often do not have their own balcony. CIRCOLAR is not only a response to the question of how a solar module can be designed to be recyclable and thus produced in a resource-saving manner. It also shows how solar technology can be adapted to different living situations and communicate their conditions transparently.