Circular Energy in Numbers: 95% of PV panels can be recycled

As solar energy continues to expand across Europe, addressing the environmental impact of end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) panels is crucial. An impressive 95% of materials in silicon-based PV panels—the most common types—can be recycled using advanced processes, turning old panels into valuable resources for new solar technologies.

Recyclability and Materials Recovery

Approximately 95% of a silicon solar panel's components can be recovered, including glass (which makes up about 80% of the panel), aluminum frames, silicon cells, and copper. These materials enter specialized recycling streams, significantly reducing the need for energy-intensive virgin raw materials. Plastics remain the main challenge but represent a small fraction of the panel by weight.

Europe’s Growing PV Waste Challenge

Europe faces an escalating volume of end-of-life PV panels due to the rapid solar installation boom in the past two decades. It is estimated that by 2040, the European Union will accumulate between 6 and 13 million tonnes of PV waste, and this number could rise to 21-35 million tonnes by 2050. Countries like Germany alone could see up to 1 million tons of PV waste by 2030.

Driving Forces and Regulations

The European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive mandates high recycling rates and holds manufacturers responsible for collection and recycling, fostering robust growth in the solar panel recycling market. The EU plans to double installed photovoltaic capacity by 2028, which will further increase the volume of panels reaching end-of-life in the next 20 years.

Sustainability Impact

Recycling panels reduces the carbon footprint significantly—by up to 97% compared to landfill disposal of panels—and conserves finite natural resources such as silicon, silver, and copper. Recycled materials require less energy from extraction to processing, supporting a circular economy in renewable energy.

In summary, with up to 95% recyclability of common silicon PV panels and increasing end-of-life volumes projected in Europe, solar panel recycling is both an environmental necessity and an economic opportunity to ensure sustainable growth in renewable energy.

References:

• Recycling rate and process details (95% recyclable materials in panels): Soltis, Moserbaer Solar

• European PV waste projections (6-13 million tonnes by 2040, 21-35 million by 2050): Joint Research Centre, Ekologistyka24

• Market growth and regulatory context: MarkSparksSolutions, ResearchAndMarkets, EU WEEE Directive

• Environmental impact and circular economy benefits: Moserbaer Solar, Greenpeace