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Writer's pictureRafe Chang

Improve Panel Recycling to Reduce Heavy Metal Pollution

Most solar panels have a 25-30-year lifespan before degradation leads to a noticeable reduction in productivity. Weather events such as thermal recycling, wind, and even sunlight all contribute to the degradation of panels over time. Unfortunately, about 90% of the retired solar panels currently end up in landfills because it is cheaper than recycling. To separate the materials, then recycling a module can cost from $15 to $45 while disposal can cost less than $1. California, home to the largest number of solar installations, had only one recycling plant that accepted solar panels as of July 2022, which creates a significant barrier to sustainable end-of-life management of solar panels. 


Crystalline-silicon solar panels, the most common type, comprise an aluminum frame, glass, copper wire, polymer layers and a back sheet, silicon solar cells, and a plastic junction box. While the bulkier components like glass, aluminum, and copper can be easily recycled through established processes, solar cells present a more significant challenge. 


French startup, ROSI, uses a proprietary chemical process to separate silver from photovoltaic cells, which makes it possible to recycle silver and high-purity silicon- these two materials make up 60% of a panel’s cost. Recovering silver, in particular, could alleviate strain on the global silver market, which has experienced a persistent deficit since 2021, and is expected to reach 215.3 million ounces in 2024- while the silver demand of solar made up 5% of the consumption in 2014, and is predicted to rise to 20% in 2030. 


Photo credit: Tomas van Houtryve


Recycling silver from retired solar panels could help meet this demand and reduce the need for raw material extraction. Silver enters the water and soil through mining activities, which is toxic to humans if exposed to air, silver-contaminated food, or water. An example of these dangers can be seen in the Peruvian city- Cerro De Pasco, which started mining for silver, zinc, and lead in the 17th century. Exposure to these heavy metals causes cancer and other debilitating and fatal diseases among locals; IQ levels of children have also been significantly reduced. 




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