Here’s the thing about solar panel waste: We’re about to have a whole heap of it on planet Earth.
That’s because solar technology effectively went mainstream around the turn of the millennia, with units that have an estimated lifespan of 25 to 30 years. Now that we're well into the 2020s, millions of modules that were commissioned in those early days are entering retirement. But where will they go?
The simplest answer: lots of different places, including many landfills, based on the immediate infrastructure and policies in place. But there are other options as this new problem unfolds.
Solar panels contain numerous valuable materials and elements that could be reclaimed and repurposed as a unit approaches the end of its life.
A primary limitation to recycling is the dismantling process and parsing apart of these components, which is not something that occurs at a standard recycling facility. It requires specialized ...
