SPECTRUM · Solar PolygEneration Collector for combined heaT, poweR, hydrogen fUel and wastewater treatMent

The SPECTRUM project aims to develop, validate and test an innovative solar concentrating collector that fully harness the solar spectrum by converting solar radiation into three renewable energy vectors (solar heat, solar electricity and green hydrogen) required by industrial sector, while performing industrial wastewater treatment. SPECTRUM will boost the sustainability of IWW treatment, converting waste into a valuable solar fuel, through an efficient photocatalytic remediation process coupled with H2 cogeneration. Matching the energy grade between the solar spectrum and the conversions, the system uses the UV for photocatalytic H2 production with synergistic degradation of pollutants, infrared for generating thermal energy and visible-near infrared light for PV electricity, allowing to achieve higher solar conversion efficiency. SPECTRUM concept will go beyond the current state of the art through i) the development of low cost, sustainable photocatalysts with focus on dual-functional photocatalysis processes, i.e H2 production and pollutants degradation, and considering the easy recovery and reuse of the catalysts and ii) development of spectral splitting solutions to separate IR part of the solar spectrum allowing the PV cells to be thermally decoupled from the thermal absorber, generating high-temperature heat without compromising the electrical efficiency. Integrate optical, thermal, and electrical subsystem of SPECTRUM hybrid solar collector will be design and developed aiming to reach an effective total management and distribution of the solar radiation. Two hybrid solar collector prototypes for low and medium temperature (SPECTRUM-LT and SPECTRUM-HT) will be constructed and tested under outdoor conditions. Techno-economic analysis using Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing, together with social impact analysis, will be used to validate the sustainability of the SPECTRUM approach in the economic, environmental and social domains.