In the past few years, there are several advancements in technology that have made solar power more efficient and cost-effective in many ways. But due to several technological advancements, the older version of the solar system is gradually becoming obsolete or getting damaged because of weather or other factors.
So many people have a curiosity to know what happens when the solar panels reach their lifespan end? Can solar panels be recycled? You will get all the answers to your questions here.
As it is said earlier, solar panels are recyclable no doubt. Solar PV systems and panels are basically made up of a mixture of glass, aluminum, and plastic. So, even though aluminum and glass are highly recyclable, plastic is not generally recycled and is less valuable at the same time.
So here, the problem basically rests with the separation of the mixed materials. The procedure that revolves around the extraction of each of these materials is a bit slow. This extraction procedure also requires advanced machinery techniques and special expertise.
The following procedure describes how a silicon solar module is recycled:
Step 1: The aluminium frame is removed from the panel and this frame is considered 100% reusable.
Step 2: The glass is separated out when it goes along a conveyor belt. This piece of glass is considered 95% reusable.
Step 3: The recycled panel then goes through thermal processing, which brings out the frame up to 932° Fahrenheit degree. Some portion of the procedure permits the evaporation of small plastic components that are yet not stripped off from the panel itself. This helps the cells to get separated easily.
Step 4: The silicon wafers are carved away before being refined into reusable slabs. The silicon present on these slabs is considered to be around 85% reusable.
Step 1: Firstly put them in a shredder machine. Then, a hammermill makes sure that all the particles are no larger than 4-5mm, which is the actual size where the lamination keeps the inner materials altogether, breaks and later can be removed.
Step 2: A rotating screw helps in separating the remaining substance that consists of both solar and liquid material.
Step 3: The resulting substance then goes through metal processing so as to separate the different semiconductor materials completely. On average count, 95% of the semiconductor material is actually reusable.
Step 4: At the end, the material goes through the rinsing procedure. The only thing that remains is pure glass, which saves 90% of glass elements for easy re-manufacturing.
We at Future Solar WA make sure that you get the best quality and best experience from our side. We provide the best solar panel quotes in the most affordable range and how the investment will be good enough for you. Over a million Australian homes are already using solar energy for their residential usage. Every property has different electricity demands. We provide the best solar solution and have the best solar experts who will assist you throughout the whole installation process.