Participation in EU projects
Inclusion in European funding projects within the framework of the HORIZON EU programme
The bifa Environmental Institute is involved as a consortium partner in several European funding projects within the framework of the HORIZON EU programme. In recent years, bifa has increasingly contributed its technical and methodological expertise to EU funding projects, particularly in the fields of photovoltaics and critical materials.
Current EU projects involving bifa include SMARTLINE-PV, QUASAR, ICARUS and PHOTORAMA. bifa is also participating in project consortia for tenders that are currently still ongoing.
Our areas of expertise: life cycle assessment, materials analysis, circular economy and communication
As part of life cycle assessments (LCA), bifa documents project progress in terms of improved impacts on various environmental areas, such as the carbon footprint.
Chemical and biological material analysis carried out in bifa‘s laboratories contributes to improved transparency with regard to potentially hazardous constituents.
Circularity indicators, based on the Ellen McArthur Foundation‘s MCI (= Material Circularity Indicator) formulas and compliant with ISO 59040:2025 on the circular economy, describe improvements in circularity within the scope of the projects.
The course for a more sustainable design can already be set in the development phase of a new technology. For example, bifa develops eco-design-guidelines, i.e. design proposals that incorporate aspects such as improved recyclability, use of more environmentally friendly materials, easier disassembly for end-of-life recycling, and the reduction of critical materials in the early stages of product development.
The early involvement of the public and relevant decision-makers from politics, science and industry is becoming increasingly important for identifying potential risks in the later implementation of large-scale projects. The bifa communications team ensures successful project support and implementation by conducting specific surveys and methodically structured stakeholder workshops.
In addition, economic evaluation, i.e. the preparation of business plans and techno-economic assessments of new and further developed processes, is also a task assigned to bifa within the framework of these projects funded by the European Commission.
The results compiled by bifa on the basis of structured and regular data collection from the project partners thus demonstrate and document the success of these extensive, multi-year projects.