Canadian Solar partners with Solarcycle to keep solar panels out of landfills
Solarcycle will serve as Canadian Solar’s preferred recycling partner, with Canadian Solar’s customers now offered the option to secure recycling services at the time of purchase.
Circular recycling approach aims for ‘perpetual utility’ of PV materials
After analyzing the future usage of material by the crystalline silicon PV industry, including glass, aluminum, silver, copper, ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), and silicon, a German research team found that a circular recycling approach could address foreseeable supply problems. It could also reportedly become economically sustainable.
Improving solar panel recyclability with lasers
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed a proof of concept for a method to remove polymers from solar panel manufacturing to enable more efficient recycling.
Qcells partners to recover 95% of solar panel value with recycler
The partnership of Qcells and Solarcycle marks a first-of-its kind recycling partnership between a U.S. solar manufacturing operation and a recycling provider.
Solar recycling headquarters and research lab opens in Arizona
Backed by funding from leading corporations and institutions, Solarcycle sets up shop in Mesa, Arizona, to advance a circular economy for the solar industry.
Major U.S. solar developer announces recycling plans
EDF Renewables North America signs on with Solarcycle to recycle damaged or broken solar panels.
Solar panel waste is not a significant problem
Solar panel waste will not be a problem because there is so little of it. However, there is a short-term problem in some places because panel deployment is growing fast and recycling is playing catch up.
On the Floor at RE+: $12/module recycling, Tesla Powerwall III specs, EV vegetation management, and more
During an electrifying visit to Las Vegas, pv magazine USA not only enjoyed a party in an ice bar and another in a Ferris Wheel above the city, but also attended SEIA’s “Women in Solar” event and shook hands with numerous manufacturers of solar goods.
New technique to recover lead in end-of-life solar panels
A research group at Arizona State has developed a process to recover lead in its metallic form so that it can be reused in the PV industry. The process relies on a leaching solution based on a combination of acetic acid (CH3COOH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which the researchers said leaches the lead ‘in a matter of minutes.’
DOE invests $20 million to extend solar lifecycle, cut waste
With reduced use and improved recovery of critical materials, PV system deployment will become less dependent on supply chain limitations and can sustain the expected growth in clean energy.
