- Glass: This material constitutes about 75% of the weight of a solar panel and is the mostly used component. Almost all of the glass can be reused, and it is a well-established industry.
- Aluminum: The aluminum frame and other metal parts can be recycled and re-used for re-molding cell frames.
- Copper: Copper wire and internal copper are valuable components that can be extracted during recycling.
- Silver: Although present in small amounts, silver is another valuable material that can be recovered.
- Plastic: Some plastics, like those in the junction box, can be recycled. Additionally, encapsulating plastics are reused as a heat source in the recycling process.
- Silicon: Silicon wafers can be melted and reused to manufacture new solar cells, achieving an 85% recycling rate for silicon.
These materials make up the bulk of what can be recovered during solar panel recycling. However, despite the potential for recycling, the process is not yet widely adopted or cost-effective.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-materials-can-be-recovered-from-recycled-solar-panels/
