Recycling Solar Panels Is A Great Incentive For Purchasing

At the point when current solar panels become tomorrow’s electronic waste, who will bankroll their recycling? In approximately a few years, the United States will be facing the sunset of a large number of solar installations. In reply, Washington, California and New York are making plans to incentivize solar-panel recycling.

In a recent report in the publication by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), more than 90 percent of the materials in typical photovoltaic solar panels, silicon, aluminum and glass, can be recycled and used again in the generation of new solar panels.  

Presently, the disposal of solar panels is not subject to specific regulation in the United States. This indicates panels simply may end up in landfills.

Industry producers, rather than regulatory agencies, are developing creative ways to anticipate the switch occurring of the solar infrastructure being installed today.

The nation is continuing to develop and expand its solar-energy infrastructure at an ever-increasing pace. From individual panels on residential rooftops to massive desert solar farms, solar panels are quickly growing to be part of the national energy infrastructure.

Predicting The Waste

Solar infrastructure typically has a predicted lifespan of 30 years. Many producers offer 20 or 25-year warranties. But as panels age, their efficiency declines. In 2016, IRENA and International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Program (IEA-PVPS) issued one of the first comprehensive assessments of end-of-life considerations for solar panels.

Given the increase of solar installations since the early 2000s, the report anticipates "significant waste" by 2030. It also said that "recycling or repurposing solar photovoltaic panels at the end of their approximately 30-year lifetime can unlock an estimated stock of 78 million tons of raw materials and other valuable components globally by 2050. If fully injected back into the economy, the value of the obtained material could exceed 15 billion USD by 2050." Given the increase of solar installations since the early 2000s, the report anticipates 'significant waste' by 2030.

Solar panels can be tough to recycle. Extensive deconstruction is needed to separate the raw materials and prep those materials for a useful second life. There is usually a need to separate materials that have been sealed or infused together with powerful adhesives. This regularly requires additional labor. The design of solar panels is changing quickly. This makes it hard to design and develop recycling facilities that accommodate past, current, and future panels efficiently.

Devising Incentives

There are two main approaches to incentivize solar panel recycling, market forces, and regulatory requirements.

In the European Union, for instance, solar panels are defined as e-waste and subject to recycling requirements outlined in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.

In the United States, dumping of solar panels is governed by the waste disposal regulations as part of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Added state policies on waste disposal and recycling also exist.

Recognizing the economic value of waste streams is not new. Nevertheless, it requires creative and thoughtful planning.

Improving Guidelines

Europeans have seen that regulations have made a significant impact. This is because the small cash value of the raw materials combined with the expense of transporting and recycling solar panels makes recycling based on solely economic incentives a tough sell.

The IRENA article says that the countries with the four largest waste volumes lack comprehensive recycling ordinance: China; the United States; Japan; and India.

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has taken an aggressive role in helping to address this challenge. According to SEIA, "[Our] members are currently engaged in developing acquisition and recycling processes for the solar industry and are committed to guiding both state and federal regulations that promote safe and effective collection and recycling models."

Given what you know about how to get rid of solar panels, you should now investigate how to GET solar panels. Here at HahaSmart, we can help!

HahaSmart Blog - More Solar Tips and Guide
HahaSmart News - Stay Informed
Your Solar Incentives - See Credits and Incentives in Your Area
Check Your Home's Solar Price - See How Much You Save
Register Now - Unlock The Lowest Solar Prices in Your Area