Accelerate the World's Transition to Sustainable Energy - to fight Anthropogenic Climate Change, page-37924

First 37924 Last

Share
Profile

Follow
birdman29

29,088 Posts.

487

06/09/24

09:16

Post #: 75554624
Share

Originally posted by birdman29: ↑

Solar panels face recycling challenge
Researchers and companies are preparing for a looming tsunami of photovoltaic waste
May 22, 2022 |

More than 90% of photovoltaic (PV) panels rely on crystalline silicon and have a life span of about 30 years. Forecasts suggest that 8 million metric tons (t) of these panels will have reached the end of their working lives by 2030, a tally that is projected to reach 80 million t by 2050 (Nat. Energy 2020, DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0645-2). But today’s technologies for recycling these units are inefficient and rarely deployed.

That is an enormous problem. PV panels contain toxic materials, like lead, that can cause environmental pollution, yet many are dumped in landfills when they die. They also contain valuable materials that could be reused to make new solar cells, but today these resources are mostly wasted.

In the US, there are no federal regulations to mandate PV recycling, and according to the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory, less than 10% of the country’s decommissioned panels are recycled. Even in the European Union, where legislation requires PV recycling, many waste facilities merely harvest bulk materials like aluminium frames and glass covers, which make up over 80% of a silicon panel’s mass. The remaining mass is often incinerated, even though it contains elements like silver, copper, and silicon, which together account for two-thirds of the monetary value of a silicon panel’s materials.

NREL says that it costs about $15–$45 to recycle a silicon PV module in the US but only $1–$5 to dump it in a landfill.

MORE PANELS, MORE WASTE
Global solar capacity is expected to grow to 4.5 terawatts by 2050, but this will create a growing burden of photovoltaic waste that could hit 80 million metric tons by the same year.

Source: Adapted from Nat. Energy 2020, DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0645-2.

Expand
2 Upvote

Reply

Top Stories

BMO

Bastion sees echoes of its Gyttorp Cu and REE mineralisation at new Swedish tenements

3DA

To make modern missiles, you need 3D Printing. And in that gold rush, Amaero is selling shovels

NHF

Burgeoning NZ insurance claims drive 1H25 operating loss for nib

Trump is President Again: What Does This Mean for Crypto?

MKT

The ASX can overlook its Telecomm small-caps. Here’s one diversified brand with an international footprint

There are more pages in this discussion • 1,749 more messages in this thread...

First 37924 Last

Accelerate the World's Transition to Sustainable Energy - to fight Anthropogenic Climate Change, page-37924

Bastion sees echoes of its Gyttorp Cu and REE mineralisation at new Swedish tenements

To make modern missiles, you need 3D Printing. And in that gold rush, Amaero is selling shovels

Burgeoning NZ insurance claims drive 1H25 operating loss for nib

Trump is President Again: What Does This Mean for Crypto?

The ASX can overlook its Telecomm small-caps. Here’s one diversified brand with an international footprint

Featured News

Featured News

Accelerate the World's Transition to Sustainable Energy - to fight Anthropogenic Climate Change, page-37924

Top Stories

Bastion sees echoes of its Gyttorp Cu and REE mineralisation at new Swedish tenements

To make modern missiles, you need 3D Printing. And in that gold rush, Amaero is selling shovels

Burgeoning NZ insurance claims drive 1H25 operating loss for nib

Trump is President Again: What Does This Mean for Crypto?

The ASX can overlook its Telecomm small-caps. Here’s one diversified brand with an international footprint

Featured News

Featured News