This comprehensive publication examines the current state of PV module recycling, regulatory developments, and emerging technology trends, drawing on contributions from experts across the globe.
With PV deployment accelerating globally, the volume of end‑of‑life (EOL) modules is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades. Effective recycling will be critical to ensuring that PV remains a sustainable cornerstone of the global energy transition. The report reviews country‑by‑country approaches to EOL management, including the European Union’s dedicated PV waste regulations under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, Japan’s ongoing development of PV‑specific recycling regulations, South Korea’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, China’s national incentive‑driven recycling initiatives, Australia’s planned mandatory product stewardship programme, and state‑level PV EOL regulations in parts of the United States.
Key highlights include:
- Regulatory frameworks are evolving worldwide. The EU has adopted the WEEE Directive for PV waste. In other parts of the world, legislative and regulatory frameworks for PV module waste are installed or in preparation. Regardless of whether there are PV-specific waste regulations, many companies are treating PV module waste for proper EOL management and recycling, and the number has increased since the last time IEA PVPS Task 12 surveyed three years ago.
- Current recycling faces economic and capacity challenges. The current low volumes, limited recycling technologies, logistics challenges, and underdeveloped markets for recovered materials result in a high-cost, low-revenue scenario for PV module recycling today. Further improvement in the PV recycling capacity and technology is needed to meet future increased demand and to realize the goal of high-value, low-cost recycling. To improve economic aspects of PV module recycling, considering values of recovered materials such as critical minerals would be also necessary.
- Technology development is broadening the scope of recycling. PV module recycling technology is expanding from delamination to metal recovery as well as exploring more valuable markets for recovered materials. Enabling the use of recovered materials in new PV cells/modules and other high-value markets are ultimate targets, whereas impurities and additives remain issues to be solved. Recycled materials from PV module waste could play a significant role in material supply for PV module production and other industries.
“Our goal is to provide the evidence base and practical knowledge needed to scale up recycling capacity, improve economic viability, and ensure recovered materials feed back into the PV supply chain.” says Keiichi Komoto, co-author and editor of the report.
