The benefits of solar energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting air quality are indisputable, but the problem of electronic waste is looming. What will happen to millions of solar panels when they reach the end of their life? This is a question many solar panel buyers are asking themselves, so installation companies need to know how to answer it. They may wonder if there are solar panel recycling companies that can recycle their used panels. Photovoltaic modules are designed to last about 25 to 30 years, and over time they become less efficient at producing electricity. When solar panels are no longer effective enough in generating clean energy, they must be replaced.
Since most solar panels were installed in the last decade, this means that many photovoltaic systems will be retired in the next few decades. Currently, only a small fraction of solar panels are recycled due to dismantling costs and lack of infrastructure, so most end up in landfills. The lack of regulations requiring the recycling of solar modules, infrastructure to process them and foresight in the design of solar panels makes them expensive and difficult to recycle. Does the photovoltaic industry have a recovery plan and is it preparing for the future? While there has been some progress in Europe, there is not yet a coherent industry plan, but one will need to be in place within the next decade or so.
What makes up a photovoltaic panel?
It’s worth understanding the components of a photovoltaic panel to understand how to process them and why it’s difficult. Silicon-based photovoltaic modules contain glass, aluminum frames, copper wires, polymer layers and, of course, silicon cells. They may also contain small amounts of silver and internal copper, which are difficult to collect due to their small quantities. They contain trace amounts of toxic compounds such as lead. Thin-film panels also contain telluride cadmium (CdTe), which is carcinogenic and toxic.
Why recycling solar panels is important.
Unfortunately, when solar panels are not properly disposed of, they can seep compounds into groundwater, contaminating it. In addition, if tons of solar panels end up in a landfill, many raw materials are wasted. Therefore, proper handling and recycling are key to ensuring that photovoltaic panels actually produce clean and sustainable energy. To address this, the entire life cycle of solar panels must be analyzed, from design to disposal.
Is it cost-effective to recycle photovoltaic panels?
If photovoltaic panels contain valuable materials, wouldn’t it be financially viable to recycle them? Unfortunately, recycling photovoltaic panels is difficult and often requires thermal, chemical and mechanical processes, which increases costs. In addition, some recycled materials have little financial value due to low market demand. Therefore, recycling photovoltaic panels is usually not profitable now. Unfortunately, this makes recycling less attractive to recyclers, as transporting and processing the panels is expensive, and the potential profit from recycled materials is minimal. Hopefully, this situation will change as the photovoltaic market develops.
Three European industry experts are developing the recycling of photovoltaic panels that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Solar energy plays an important role in the clean energy transition. At the heart of photovoltaic technology is highly purified silicon, which converts sunlight into electricity. Purifying silicon is an energy-intensive process, producing 50 kilograms of CO2 for every kilogram of photovoltaic-quality silicon. Releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, however, is exactly what solar power is designed to avoid.
How to recycle photovoltaic panels.
To begin with, photovoltaic panel recyclers break down the modules, removing glass and metals from the frames and junction boxes. These components can be more easily recycled, and many recyclers are equipped with the right tools. However, polymer layers seal the solar panels to protect them from the weather. As a result, processors must use high temperatures or chemical processes to loosen the adhesive, making this step both energy and labor intensive, which increases recycling costs. The remaining material is then recycled at a lower value because it is not very valuable.
Although it may contain small amounts of metals, they are difficult to separate. Recovery rates in solar module recycling are typically around 85%, but demand for most of the recycled material is low. Unfortunately, weak demand means that the price of the materials is also low. In addition, most states do not impose mandatory recycling of PV panels, so regulatory compliance is not an incentive. Thus, there are few incentives to recycle PV panels beyond the environmental benefits. In the European Union, there are legal requirements to collect and recycle old solar panels and to fund research into end-of-life solutions.
The photovoltaic panel recycling sector will continue to innovate.
There are many ways to reduce the cost of recycling while improving the recovery rate or value of the recycled materials. For example, refurbishing broken or damaged photovoltaic panels instead of recycling them is better for the environment, so it’s wise to put more emphasis on this practice. Similarly, there are many steps manufacturers can take, especially at the design stage, to green the industry and make their products more easily recycled. Extended Producer Responsibility regulations in the European Union and Washington, D.C., will help encourage these actions, as they shift the burden of removing PV panels from local governments to PV manufacturers themselves.
For example, designing PV panels with a longer useful life reduces and delays the need to recycle them. Increasing the efficiency of the panels themselves allows the same amount of energy to be produced with fewer panels. Using fewer materials, especially toxic ones, will help optimize the recycling process. Making it easier to disassemble photovoltaic panels into parts reduces the labor, chemicals and energy required to process the panels. The renewable energy industry has demonstrated a strong capacity for innovation and progress. Manufacturers that address recycling more effectively can distinguish themselves as leaders in sustainability.