Free Solar Analysis

A Solar Module’s Life After Death

Over the past several years, we have seen an exponential increase in solar adoption, but what happens when a module no longer functions? While solar energy system installations increase across the country and the world, so will the need for solar material recycling. It seems easy to kick the can down the road and solve the problem in the future when solar modules last for decades. However, the long-term success of the solar industry relies on the successful and continuing recovery of the raw materials the products are made from. The growth of large-scale recycling programs are still in their infancy stages due to a large majority of solar modules, installed as far back as the 1980s, are still in operation and functioning above expectations.

Can Solar Modules Be Recycled?

The short and sweet answer is, yes. Solar modules are primarily composed of glass, plastic, copper, and aluminum all of which are already recycled in mass quantities. 

While the solar materials’ recyclability is excellent, the process to separate the materials is tedious and requires specialized machinery. According to CED Greentech, one of the nation’s leading solar equipment distributors, first, the aluminum frame is removed which is 100% reusable. Second, the glass is separated out, comprising 76-89% of a solar module. Nearly 95% of the glass in a solar module can be reused. Finally, a heating process is applied to the remaining components causing evaporation, etching, and smelting to happen, leaving the silicon wafers into reusable slabs that are 85% reusable.

According to a U.S. Geological Survey report entitled, Byproduct Mineral Commodities Used for the Production of Photovoltaic Cells, “Metals such as cadmium, gallium, germanium, indium, selenium, and tellurium are important mineral materials used in current photovoltaic cell technology.” The report further states, “Most of the world’s primary supply of these mineral commodities is recovered as byproducts from ores processed mainly for the purpose of producing aluminum, copper, lead, and zinc. The supply of these metals from secondary sources will likely increase over time when photovoltaic cells are recycled as a result of breakage or when they reach the end of their useful life. (U.S. Department of Energy, Solar Technologies Program, 2008a).”

 

What About The Other Materials Necessary For Solar Energy Solutions?

Companies like We Recycle Solar, which is the largest solar recycler in the United States, offer other recycling services for many of the products manufactured within the solar industry. Solar inverters, batteries, and racking move along a similar recycling process as other electronics. They break down and remove the hazardous and valuable materials within these products, limiting the waste associated with the recycling process and begin the process of capturing the materials which are reusable. 

 

What Does The Future Of Solar Module Recycling Look Like?

Many European nations that started heavily installing solar in the 1980-90s are beginning to see development in the solar recycling market as modules are being decommissioned. Until there is enough need in the U.S. to make it profitable or regulations and laws similar to Washington’s solar product stewardship law,  advancements in widespread recycling will move slowly. We Recycle Solar can spend up to $25 per module in processing costs to obtain $2-4 worth of materials. Sustainability is the main driver keeping solar modules out of landfills, where you can dispose of a module for $1-5 rather than $25 for recycling.

Modules are continually becoming lighter in weight and using less valuable materials. While this is great for manufacturing and consumers, it does not provide for an improved monetary return for future recycling programs. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA) estimates solar photovoltaic (PV) recycling will not only create more job opportunities, but it will have an estimated recoverable asset value of over $15 billion by 2050. There is massive opportunity in this market, the agency estimates by 2050 the cumulative global PV module waste will have reached 60-78 million metric tons, up from 43,000 tons in 2016.

Sources:

men installing solar module

For the solar industry to continue to pride itself on sustainability, continued focus on recycling solar modules and components will continue to grow and expand with greater recycling facility capacity and improvements in incorporating recycled materials within the manufacturing process.

SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE THE LATEST SOLAR ENERGY NEWS AND OFFERS IN OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Subscribe Here