The U.S. has more than 5 million solar installations. This means there are tens of millions of solar panels on roofs and racking systems. Solar energy is fantastic for reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy independence, but what will happen to those photovoltaic (PV) panels at the end of the panel’s 30-year lifespan?

A waste management issue looms as solar systems age and will eventually be decommissioned. Is the U.S. prepared for large-scale solar panel recycling?

“Installations two decades ago are nearing their end of life, and that becomes a challenge for the waste industry,” said Garvin Heath, a senior scientist in the Strategic Energy Analysis Center of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “Because it takes a long time to develop technology and policy and solutions to dealing with end-of-life products, this is something we need to start to address today.”

According to Heath, solar panels could comprise more than 10 percent of global electronic waste by 2050. The Department of Energy has allocated $29 million to support 10 recycling projects in a bid to prepare the nation for the first wave of PV panels, some of which are reaching their end-of-life now.

Solar panel recycling presents an economic opportunity and can spawn new industries. A study by the International Renewable Agency (IRENA) estimates that by 2050, $15 billion could be recovered from recycling solar panels. There are also repair and reuse opportunities for solar panels that fail prematurely. These repaired solar panels are often sold at a discount, creating opportunities in new markets where affordability is an issue.

What Parts of the Solar Panel Can Be Recycled?

Glass, plastic, aluminum, and silicon comprise 99 percent of the silicon-based solar panels.

The assembly and variety of materials make solar panels relatively complex. Solar panels consist of 72 percent glass plus plastic, a variety of metals, including lead, copper, gallium, cadmium, and aluminum, along with silicon solar cells. It is a relatively tricky process to recycle solar panels, which involved dissembling, etching, and melting.

Virtually all the components in a solar panel can be recycled. Source: Environmental Protection Agency.

Lack of Solar Panel Recycling Policies in the U.S.

There are no national policies in the U.S., but some states are leading the way. Washington state has a solar stewardship program requiring manufacturers to collect panels at their end of life for recycling at no charge to the customer. But the National Renewable Energy Lab reported in 2021 that only 10% of  solar panels will be recycled by 2050 if the nation does not accelerate its investments

Europe, by contrast, has had electronic waste policies that require solar panel recycling programs since 2012. Manufacturers are responsible for collecting and recycling of their products. As a result, the E.U. leads in solar panel recycling capacity with dedicated facilities that recycle panels for reuse.

Where To Recycle Solar Panels

Despite a slow start, a variety of options are available for recycling solar panels in the U.S. Many of these companies focus on business and industrial PV panel recycling, but homeowners have increasing access to recycling services, especially through installers.

  • SOLARCYCLE provides comprehensive solar panel recycling services, repurposing materials for new uses and supporting a circular solar economy.
  • FabTech offers zero-landfill recycling solutions, managing the entire lifecycle of solar panels from removal to recycling.
  • ERI provides PV recycling for homeowners as well as professional installers.
  • SolarPanelRecycling.com focuses on utility-scale customers with a full suite of decomissioning, logistics, and recycling services.
  • First Solar operates globally with extensive recycling facilities to recover over 90% of module materials.
  • Cleanlites provides recycling services for large volumes of solar panels, ensuring environmental compliance and minimizing landfill waste.
  • Echo Environmental accepts recyclable PV panels from installers and manufacturers to keep them out of landfills.
  • OKON Recycling works with solar farms to support ongoing, large-scale recycling programs.
  • We Recycle Solar supports panel manufacturers, energy companies, and installers efforts to recycle.
  • BBB Industries’ Ontility division recycles end-of-life panels used by utilities and large-scale solar energy providers.
  • OnePlanet Solar Recycling works with small and large PV panel projects to ensure circular use of materials.

When Do Solar Panels Need To Be Recycled?

Solar panels have a design life of about 30 years. When a solar farm is decommissioned, it is especially important to recycle the panels because it can contain thousands.

On the residential side, it is up to the homeowner and solar contractors to determine when to decommission systems. Sometimes homeowners don’t know if their solar system is still working properly and producing sufficient power. Some solar system owners decommission a functional solar system prematurely. Unfortunately, older solar systems do not have monitoring capabilities like new ones. In this case, a good way to determine if the solar system is producing power is by looking at the display on the inverter.

Most solar panels have a window that will display the power consumption in watts or kilowatts. Some inverters also have lights to help you understand how the system is operating. Search Google for the inverter model you own to find an owner’s manual. Typically, a green light indicates the system is working and a red blinking light indicates an issue. Just because there is an issue doesn’t mean the solar system isn’t producing power.

The solar panels will only produce power during daylight hours, and midday is the best time to check your system’s performance. You can also look at your power bills to determine if you are getting credits for excess power, but this is a less reliable indicator of how the system is performing. Utility bills only show how much surplus power is fed to the grid, not the total energy production.

Although solar panel recycling is still in its at the toddler stage in the U.S., greater recycling options are coming. There is still a bit of time before the quantity of decommissioned solar panels reaches large volumes, so now is the time to create an effective solar panel recycling infrastructure and policies.

Editor’s Note: Originally published on February 4, 2020, this article was updated in July 2024.







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