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> Also, solar panels dont seem that difficult to recycle. There's already a decent & growing reclaimation market. Curious if you're basing this on firsthand kn

> Also, solar panels dont seem that difficult to recycle. There's already a decent & growing reclaimation market. Curious if you're basing this on firsthand knowledge? I know nothing about solar panels but I've read some stories[0][1] lately about difficulties recycling them, particularly older ones that were deployed 10-20 years ago and are now reaching EOL. [0] https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/solar-panel-waste-the-dark-side-of-clean-energy https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/solar-panel-was... [1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108 https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-...

philipkglass 4y ago
First Solar (the largest American solar manufacturer) has provided recycling for the panels they make since 2005: https://www.firstsolar.com/modules/recycling https://www.firstsolar.com/modules/recycling https://www.bnl.gov/pv/files/prs_agenda/2_krueger_ieee-presentation-final.pdf https://www.bnl.gov/pv/files/prs_agenda/2_krueger_ieee-prese... https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Sustainability-Documents/PVTP_6pp_First-Solar-recycling-hi.ashx https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Sustainabilit... German company Flaxres recently completed a pilot scale trial for recycling silicon photovoltaic modules from any manufacturer: https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/07/22/industrial-process-for-module-recycling/ https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/07/22/industrial-process-fo...
ncmncm 4y ago
Ultra-pure silicon is intrinsically valuable. Anyone dumping used-up panels is an idiot.
pfdietz 4y ago
Since the vast majority of PV modules that have ever been installed are still working there isn't much recycling yet. Most of the mass of a PV panel is mundane things like glass and aluminum (and perhaps steel for ground mountings) that are either eminently recyclable or easily disposable in mass.

philipkglass 4y ago

First Solar (the largest American solar manufacturer) has provided recycling for the panels they make since 2005: https://www.firstsolar.com/modules/recycling https://www.firstsolar.com/modules/recycling https://www.bnl.gov/pv/files/prs_agenda/2_krueger_ieee-presentation-final.pdf https://www.bnl.gov/pv/files/prs_agenda/2_krueger_ieee-prese... https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Sustainability-Documents/PVTP_6pp_First-Solar-recycling-hi.ashx https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Sustainabilit... German company Flaxres recently completed a pilot scale trial for recycling silicon photovoltaic modules from any manufacturer: https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/07/22/industrial-process-for-module-recycling/ https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/07/22/industrial-process-fo...

ncmncm 4y ago

Ultra-pure silicon is intrinsically valuable. Anyone dumping used-up panels is an idiot.

pfdietz 4y ago

Since the vast majority of PV modules that have ever been installed are still working there isn't much recycling yet. Most of the mass of a PV panel is mundane things like glass and aluminum (and perhaps steel for ground mountings) that are either eminently recyclable or easily disposable in mass.