Circular solar panel photovoltaic

What is a circular economy for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels?

This report looks at the challenges, opportunities and pathways to an improved circular economy for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in the EU. For this analysis, a circular economy is defined as a system that preserves the value of materials and minimises waste through reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling.

What is circularity in solar PV?

Most studies on circularity in the solar PV sector deal with technical aspects, mostly considering recycling [11, 12, 13] and product design . Presently, recycling is the default pathway for decommissioned PV panels, enabling recovery of high-value raw materials [14, 15].

Can digital platforms Foster circularity in the solar PV industry?

However, opportunities for other circularity strategies, such as repair and reuse of PV panels that have not yet reached their technical lifetime [6, 17, 18], as well as the potential of digital platforms to foster data-enhanced circular practices in the solar PV industry have only recently received increased attention.

What would a more circular PV economy look like?

A more circular PV economy would both divert large quantities of PV waste from landfills and provide valuable source materials for new solar modules (thus reducing the scale of new resources that must be extracted and refined to develop a carbon-free energy system).

Can solar PV panels be recycled?

G20 member countries will contribute most of the projected waste. Sustainable end-of-life management of solar PV panels offers attractive opportunities to recycle critical materials and pursue new economic avenues. Following circular economy principles, waste solar PV panels can be restored, reused and recycled.

How can solar PV manufacturers achieve circularity?

Another pathway to enable circularity for solar PV manufacturers is voluntary labeling procedures that provide transparency into module composition, justify hazardous waste classifications, and/or document overall carbon intensity , , , , , .