Welcome to the first Horizon ENLIGHTENED Newsletter!
The Horizon ENLIGHTENED project is up and running, and we’re excited to share what’s been happening behind the scenes. We also get to meet Edmund Whitmore, Sustainability Manager at 4mod and responsible for the LCA work in the project.
The early phase of the project has been all about preparation. We’ve finalized the technical specifications and completed the baseline Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to ensure that sustainability is integrated from the outset. With a structured project plan in place, we’re setting the pace for advancements in photovoltaic technology for low-power, low-light applications.
Beyond the technical groundwork, we’ve also focused on the project’s identity. Our visual branding, templates, and website are now live, providing a clear and professional platform for communication. These elements help ensure that ENLIGHTENED is not just another research project but one that is engaging and easy to follow.
Explore the latest project materials here!
The next phase of the project is all about translating plans into action. We are finalizing the flex-board specifications and circuit design, determining exactly what is required and how it should be structured to meet our objectives.
Once the design is set, we will move on to printing trials for the flex-board, testing different approaches to ensure the best performance and durability. This is a crucial step in bridging the gap between theoretical specifications and real-world application.
Ultimately, we are focused on taking these specifications and turning them into reality—figuring out the best manufacturing processes and refining the integration of our photovoltaic technology into a functional, scalable solution.
Stay connected and follow our progress on LinkedIn!
Tracking and measuring environmental impact is a crucial part of ensuring real sustainability improvements. In ENLIGHTENED, this responsibility falls to Edmund Whitmore, Sustainability Manager at 4MOD, who leads the project's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) work. We spoke with Edmund about his background, the progress made so far, and what excites him most about the sustainability potential of our technology.
Growing up in the UK in the 90s, climate change was the hot topic of my youth. Driven to understand the mechanisms behind these changes, I developed a keen interest in geography, eventually leading me to study a BSc in Environmental Science followed by an MSc in Environmental Engineering at Cranfield University. Before joining 4MOD, I worked as the Lead Environmental Engineer at Puma Energy UK managing water quality, environmental permits and energy-saving projects.
In 2022 I moved to Nantes in France to work at 4MOD, where I conduct life cycle assessments (LCA) for our electronic products and created our ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Outside of work, I'm an avid mountain biker and occasionally get to combine my passion for cycling with my professional life (see my cycling journey to the IBC conference ).
The first six months have been busy establishing the LCA methodology for the project. We've finalized this in the specification report (D1.1) which sets out our approach for assessing the environmental performance of the three end-user cases: the remote controls, electronic shelf labels, and IoT sensors. The baseline LCA work has also kicked off, with the collection of inventory data on the end-users' current products. The goal is to make a scientifically rigorous comparison to the eco-designed version developed in the project. By the end of the project, we aim to have the LCA work externally certified to meet ISO 14040/44 standards and to publish the results in an open access journal.
I'm looking forward to quantifying the real environmental benefits of these innovations. By replacing traditional batteries with OPV cells and FR4 based PCB with printed flexible PCB in a remote control, our preliminary calculations indicate a reduction from 1.6 kg of CO₂ to just 0.6 kg CO₂ per device lifecycle. With the global production of remotes at around 300 million a year, that's a potential saving of 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ every year! I believe the project has a real opportunity to significantly improve the sustainability of the electronics we all use day to day and that's something I'm excited about!
The collaborative aspect of this project is a real highlight. Working closely with diverse partners across academia and industry allows us to integrate sustainability thinking from the ground up. I'm able to provide LCA feedback during the design and development phase rather than after products are finalized, which is much more effective. This holistic approach helps us develop truly sustainable solutions instead of just making incremental improvements to existing designs - and I'm learning fascinating new technologies along the way, not a bad deal!
Attending LOPEC 2025 was a great opportunity to connect with industry leaders and discuss the future of printed electronics. We exchanged insights, strengthened collaborations, and shared the ENLIGHTENED vision with a wider audience.
Catch up on our takeaways from LOPEC!