Dive Brief:
- Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has recently launched a first-of-its-kind national solar photovoltaic (PV) recycling program, as reported in PVSolarReport.
- The new program will choose Preferred Recycling Partners to offer cost-effective recycling options to SEIA members to ensure PV waste — including PV panels — is properly disposed of and kept out of landfills.
- An educational portal will be offered to participating members to offer more information about PV recycling and increase interest in waste management initiatives.
Dive Insight:
According to PVSolarReport, there are more than 227 gigawatts of solar already installed worldwide. Therefore as the use of solar energy becomes more and more common, it is important that end-of-life disposal options are considered for old panels.
In June, a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency's Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme projected that the market for recycling PV panels could be worth $15 billion by 2050. Due to most PV panels being made of glass and aluminum, a push for PV recycling could in-turn introduce more recycled PV products to market and help develop a closed-loop system across the solar industry.
"Our goal is make the entire solar industry landfill-free," said Tom Kimbis, SEIA’s interim president, to PVSolarReport. This sentiment to reach "zero waste to landfill" is growing in popularity across many other industries, including retail and food and beverage, due to its economic implications and consumers' growing desire for sustainable products.
