How are they recycled?

So can solar panels be recycled? The short answer is yes. Silicon solar modules are primarily composed of glass, plastic, and aluminum: three materials that are recycled in mass quantities.

Despite the recyclability of the modules, the process in which materials are separated can be tedious and requires advanced machinery. Here are the main steps involved in successfully recycling a silicon module:

1. Removing the aluminum frame (100% reusable)
2. Separating the glass along a conveyor belt (95% reusable)
3. Thermal processing at 500 degrees Celsius
   • This allows for the evaporation of small plastic components and allows the cells to be easier separated.
4. Etching away silicon wafers and smelting them into reusable slabs (85% reusable)