SolarPanelRecycling.com (SPR), a solar recycling specialist based in North Carolina, announced the launch of what is says is the first in the nation dedicated bifacial solar panel recycling line that enables clean glass separation of bifacial modules at recovery rates of 99% or higher.
SPR is a member of the National PV Recycling Program, founded in 2016, which is a network of recycling and refurbishment providers approved by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) after undergoing an audit process that assesses procedures and technologies.
The company was launched in 2023 and now has four locations: Two in North Carolina, and one in Georgia and Texas. The North Carolina center, is considered its hub, and the Texas campus is where the company performs R&D to further advance the recycling processes and sustainability standards.
The need for recycling solar modules is skyrocketing in parallel with the boom in solar installations in the U.S. Without an increase in solar recycling, the U.S. will contribute 10 million metric tons of trash in landfills and other waste facilities by 2050, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). To put this into context, the U.S. dumps almost 140 million tons of waste each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Just as new solar technologies, such as bifacial, enter the supply chain, those new technologies must be accommodated in the recycling stream. Solarpanelrecycling.com noted that the industry is quickly standardizing on bifacial modules in the utility sector, due to their higher efficiencies and energy yields, and will account for over 70% of the market by 2033 according to IEA-PVPS.
SPR found that recycling bifacial modules on monofacial lines was not as efficient as it could be, particularly in glass recovery rates and manual labor. As a result, SPR’s engineers and R&D teams developed the new proprietary recycling line for bifacial modules that enables efficient recovery.
Unlike partial recyclers who shred whole panels, which causes silicon, glass, metals and plastics to be co-mingled into unusable waste, SPR’s process ensures clean separation of all components. The intended end result is to return each material to the manufacturing supply chain, significantly reducing waste and supporting a circular economy.
It is true that solar being installed today will have a lifetime use of 30 years or more, but many modules are sent to recyclers much sooner than that, with many damaged in transportation, during installation or due to extreme weather. SPR said it is already seeing an uptick in bifacial modules hitting the recycling stream due to panels being damaged for these reasons.
“The future of solar recycling demands innovation and SPR is committed to leading the way by establishing best practices. Our investment in a dedicated bifacial recycling line is a proactive step to ensure that our recycling services are scalable and that we can maximize recovery, minimize waste and support the sustainability goals of the industry,” said Brett C. Henderson, CEO of SolarPanelRecycling.com. “True solar recycling goes beyond shredding panels. It requires cleanly separated commodities that can re-enter the supply chain, creating real value and minimizing environmental impact. This new technology marks a major milestone for SPR and for the solar industry as a whole.”
Brett Henderson, CEO, co-founder of Solarpanelrecycling.com (SPR) shared insight into this critical market during Day Three of pv magazine USA Week 2024, and true recycling, misconceptions and the need for strong policies in favor of recycling in the U.S.
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