Australian breakthrough in cost-effective recycling of solar panels

Australian scientists have developed a new method for recycling photovoltaic modules. It aims to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. In the coming decades, recycling panels will become a significant challenge, making it essential to develop an optimal method.

Photovoltaics are currently very popular. Considering that the lifespan of photovoltaic installations is about 30 years, their recycling will soon become a significant global challenge. Developing an efficient and economical method to recover valuable materials with minimal labour and cost is necessary.

Researchers from the University of New South Wales have developed a new, straightforward, and economically efficient method for recycling photovoltaic panels. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly, reducing the environmental burden of photovoltaics even in their final phase of life.

As we read in PV-Magazine, the recycling process of photovoltaic modules consists of three stages. The first is removing cells from the frame, the next is shredding the laminate, and the third and final step is material concentration using electrostatic separation.

The process results in two fractions: a mixture of silver, copper, aluminum, and silicon and a mixture of glass, silicon, and polymers. The first, more valuable mixture constitutes about 2-3% of the total module mass and can be directly transferred to subsequent manufacturing processes.

Australian scientists claim that their recycling method of photovoltaic modules can be cost-effective even with small panels, for example, around 1,200 tonnes of panels per year. Researchers estimate that their method may be more cost-effective than the FRELP (Full Recovery End-of-Life Photovoltaic) method for small amounts of panels (less than 4,800 tonnes per year).

The market for recycling photovoltaic panels is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades. As we read in PV-Magazine, by 2030, around 2.1 million tonnes of waste related to the end of life of photovoltaic systems can be expected. By 2050, this is expected to reach 73 million tonnes.

Rystad Energy estimates that by 2030, materials recovered from photovoltaic panels will be worth 2.7 billion U.S. dollars. By 2050, this is expected to be over 82 billion U.S. dollars. In comparison, the current value is just 175 million U.S. dollars.