The sun is a great source of energy for heating and generating electricity without harming the environment. A solar panel is a device designed to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity. Solar power has become popular as a clean energy option in many places, enhancing energy security. Still, the growing waste from solar panels is a new environmental issue, but it also brings opportunities to recover materials and develop new panels. Recycling is the process of recovering and reusing materials and components from end-of-life solar panels, which is essential for environmental sustainability, as it helps reduce waste and the demand for new raw materials, conserving resources and reducing energy consumption. BCC Research expects the solar panel recycling market size to expand at a CAGR of 36.8% to reach $1.7 billion by 2028. The solar panel recycling industry is rapidly growing and focuses on the collection, processing, and repurposing, of end-of-life solar panels to minimize waste and maximize the recovery of valuable materials.
Global Leaders in the Solar Panel Recycling Industry:
- First Solar, Inc. is a prominent solar panel manufacturer that has a strong commitment to sustainability and recycling. They offer a comprehensive recycling program for their own thin-film solar panels, as well as for other brands. They have recycling centers in the United States and Europe.
- Veolia is a global environmental services and waste management company that provides solar panel recycling services, further contributing to responsible end-of-life management. In 2018, Veolia and PV CYCLE teamed up to start a recycling plant for used solar panels in Rousset, a small town in France. This plant can process 4,000 tons of panels each year and recycle 95% of the materials in them. First, the plant separates and recycles the different parts of the panels before sending them to be used in different industries.
- SunPower, a well-known solar panel manufacturer, has a strong commitment to sustainability. They offer a solar recycling program where they take back and recycle their panels at the end of their life cycle to help reduce the environmental impact of their products.
- Trina Solar was established in 1997, specializing in photovoltaic (PV) modules, systems, and solutions. They have shipped more than 83 GW of modules and systems to over 160 countries. Trina Solar's Smart Energy division is responsible for their recycling efforts and smart energy solutions, including energy storage. This division also manages Trina Solar's recycling operations, which started in 2018. In 2020, they recycled over 10,000 tons of solar panels, and they intend to expand their recycling capacity in the future.
As environmental sustainability becomes a consistent topic, questions like “are solar panels recyclable” and “how much does it cost to recycle solar panels” become common as well. Good news! Yes, solar panels are recyclable. Recycling old or damaged solar panels helps reduce the environmental impact of the solar industry. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, by 2030, the cumulative value of recoverable raw materials from end-of-life panels globally will be about $450 million, which is equivalent to the cost of raw materials currently needed to produce about 60 million new panels, or 18 gigawatts of power-generation capacity. By 2050, the report said, recoverable value could cumulatively exceed $15 billion. Diverting solar panels from landfills to recycling saves space in landfills, in addition to capturing the value of the raw materials. The cost of recycling solar panels can vary, but it is a worthwhile endeavor, as it not only conserves resources but also captures the value of the raw materials, which is expected to become increasingly significant in the future.
