How To Recycle Used Solar Panels

If you’ve taken the initiative to install solar panels at your home, business, or farm, then chances are you are someone who cares about the environment. After all, solar is the future of energy. Recycling used solar panels is the best way to continue the cycle of sustainability and ensure that you’re leaving the earth better than you found it.

A solar panel system typically lasts between 30-35 years. While this might seem like a long time, it’s never too early to be educated about what to do once it’s reached the end of its lifespan. In 2022, Congress passed $20 million in funding to help achieve a five-year strategy in establishing safe, responsible end-of-life practices for photovoltaic (PV) panels for solar arrays. We’ve put together a guide on how to recycle your solar panels and some next steps to take when it comes to that point.

The Benefits of Recycling Used Solar Panels

Staying Eco-Friendly

As mentioned above, even after you’ve used your solar panels, you can still stay true to your commitment to sustainability. Careless disposal of solar panels can lead to toxic materials that may leak into the environment.

Reusing Materials

There are a few materials in solar panels such as silver, silicon, and aluminum that can be reused to create new products. This helps to ensure that nothing is wasted. In fact, The U.S. Department of Energy: Solar Energy Technologies Office actively promotes four ways that solar panels are reducing waste before they’re made, decreasing the amount of raw new material needed significantly.

The Process of Recycling Used Solar Panels

Transportation

When solar panels have reached the end of their lifespan, they are collected and transported to a determined facility that is equipped to handle the recycling process for these materials.

Deconstruction

At the facility, solar panels are then manually taken apart and divided by material. The materials within the aluminum frame are deconstructed and separated for recycling collection. Once that is complete, the glass from the panel is taken apart and also taken to be recycled among other glass materials.

Treatments

Depending on the type of material your solar panels are made out of, they may endure different types of treatment. Thermal processing may be needed for silicon-based solar panels. This includes high temperatures to melt down, evaporate, and recover the plastic within. The silicon then can also be separated and used for various other products.

Chemical treatment is also a step in treating the materials from used solar panels. The silicon from the thermal processing treatment can undergo chemical etching to remove any impurities, down to the pure material. Other metals used in solar panels can also be recovered through a chemical treatment.

Recycling & Reusing

Glass can easily be melted down and reused for other glass products, whereas metal material can be reused for future solar panels or in electronics. The great part about this process is that parts of the solar panels can be reused in new ones! Glass and aluminum frames can be reused directly in the production of new solar panels. This reduces the need for raw materials and the energy that goes into producing them.

Let 1 Source Solar Help You Recycle Your Used Solar Panels

Are your solar panels reaching the end of their life? The team at 1 Source Solar serves as a great resource in helping you figure out what’s next! Our solar experts can work with you one-on-one to manage the aftermath of your solar array and give you insight into how the recycling process works. Get connected with our team today and let’s talk!