On 13-14 October 2026, the CIRCMAN5.0 consortium gathered at Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy, for its 5th Plenary Meeting. The two-day meeting brought together project partners to review progress, exchange knowledge and coordinate the next steps towards advancing circular and AI-enabled photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing.

The first day focused on project management, coordination and exploitation activities. A key highlight was the Exploration Workshop, led by the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). During the workshop, partners worked collaboratively to further develop and refine the project’s Innovation Solutions, strengthen integration across work packages and identify opportunities to accelerate their implementation.

The second day was dedicated to reviewing progress across the project’s technical work packages. Discussions covered novel simulation and modelling software for process and product manufacturing (WP3), the CIRCMAN5.0 toolbox for environmental impact assessment (WP4), the Digital Product Passport Platform for Circular Data Spaces (WP5), as well as integration, validation and pilot demonstrations (WP6). Partners also discussed dissemination, communication and impact creation activities (WP7), alongside upcoming deliverables, milestones and plans for the next reporting period.

Throughout the meeting, partners shared updates and insights on key topics shaping the future of the PV value chain, including digital twins, eco-design, circularity assessment tools, AI-driven methods and data governance and provided an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the consortium, align priorities and ensure continued progress towards the project’s objectives.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for Green Deal Dataspace to participate in the exchange and contribute to the discussions. Its participation further highlighted the importance of connecting initiatives and strengthening collaboration around data spaces, digitalisation and sustainability. These topics are essential for supporting transparent data sharing and enabling circular approaches across the photovoltaic value chain.