The materials most commonly recovered from recycled solar panels are primarily glass, aluminum, and copper. These constitute the bulk of the panel by weight and are widely recyclable:
- Glass: Composes about 75% to 90% of the weight of a typical solar panel and is easily recycled through well-established glass recycling industries.
- Aluminum: Mainly from the panel’s frame, aluminum is also a significant recoverable material and is commonly recycled.
- Copper: Found in wiring and electrical connections within the panel, copper is recoverable and valuable among the recyclable metals.
In addition to these, solar panels contain other materials:
- Silicon solar cells: These are harder to recycle; often, silicon is incinerated or treated differently due to difficulties in separating it from other layers.
- Small amounts of silver and internal copper: These metals are valuable but present only in tiny quantities within the cells.
- Plastics and polymer layers: These parts, such as junction boxes and backsheet materials, are recyclable but require special treatment to separate due to adhesives and multilayer construction that complicates disassembly.
Thin-film solar panels, which constitute a smaller market share, especially cadmium-telluride (CdTe) panels, undergo a specialized recycling process that recovers semiconductor materials like cadmium and tellurium, in addition to glass and copper.
Currently, advanced recycling technologies can recover up to 90-95% of the materials by weight in solar panels, focusing mainly on glass, aluminum, and copper, while efforts continue to improve recovery of silicon and rare or toxic metals.
Summary Table of Commonly Recovered Materials from Solar Panels
| Material | Source in Panel | Recycling Status |
|---|---|---|
| Glass | Panel front cover | Highly recyclable, major component (~75-90%) |
| Aluminum | Frame | Easily recycled, significant portion |
| Copper | Wiring, electrical parts | Recoverable, valuable small amounts |
| Silicon | Solar cells | Difficult to recycle, often incinerated or reused in advanced processes |
| Silver | Electrical contacts | Small quantities, valuable but challenging to extract |
| Polymers/Plastics | Back sheet, junction box | Recyclable but require special handling due to adhesives |
These recovered materials help reduce waste and support sustainable reuse of resources in solar panel manufacturing and disposal.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-materials-are-most-commonly-recovered-from-recycled-solar-panels/
