Clean energy O&M provider RNWBL announced a contract with SolarCycle earlier this month to recycle PV modules from RNWBL decommissioned and repowered projects across the country.
SolarCycle’s growing list of big partnerships over the past year—Qcells, Sol Systems, and Ørsted—indicate an industry-wide spike in demand for waste solutions. See also: companies like We Recycle Solar have seen an uptick in partnerships and other solar recycling initiatives as well.
Big picture: One of the driving factors for this increase in demand is complaints from local residents during siting and permitting processes of solar projects. Although solar panels don’t contain the harmful levels of toxic materials often discussed at public hearings, the industry is still making strides to reduce waste concerns.
By the numbers: Massachusetts alone expects to have 6,500 tons of retired solar panels annually by 2030, and the solar panel recycling business is slated to grow to $1.72 billion by 2028.
How are companies addressing the problem? Partnerships and consultations with recycling companies to…
- Extend the lifespan of panels to 35 or more years, up from the current average of 25 years.
- Find alternatives for materials on the same projects.
- Work on efficient ways to recycle panel components.
Looking ahead: There haven’t been any official legislative steps toward incentivizing renewable energy players to recycle materials, but recycling companies say they’re a necessity for a robust market in keeping solar cells out of the dump.
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