Bio PET for Energy

Synthesis of a biodegradable film from PET discarded in Mexico City for use in the construction of a solar biopanel

Long description

According to the government of México, Mexico City generates enough garbage per day to fill an entire football stadium and 4 tons correspond to plastic bottles. For this reason, the collection and processing of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles are proposed for their reuse; by developing a biodegradable polymer. This new product will be used as a film to form the structure of a solar biopanel that will generate energy, absorb CO2 and release oxygen.

To obtain the biodegradable polymer from the PET, the bottles pass through certain laboratory processes, in order to finally make an assembly of the structure of the biopanel. The biopanel is composed mainly by microalgae and organic nanoparticles, optimizing energy generation up to 30%, being more efficient than current technologies and giving some benefits than a tree can do, as oxygen production and minimize the pollution.

Its geometry has been carefully designed to achieve a perfect match between technology and art. Concerning the benefits of the biopanel, it has a social, economic and environmental impact. Therefore, the combination of a biodegradable polymer that works as a “container” of the biopanel components will increase its value and contribute to the significant reduction of PET waste, having a positive impact in our value chain, at the moment of including vulnerable society in PET collection, and finally reducing the reducing the emission of toxic gases and solving energy problems.