Renewable equipment distributor Segen has launched a solar panel recycling program for commercial projects in Britain.
The company announced the plan today to address the decommissioning and repowering needs of commercial solar installations. It says that as solar capacity in Britain continues to grow, managing modules at the end of their life or when they are replaced by newer technologies is of increasing importance.
Segen said it will recover silver, silicon and high-purity glass from decommissioned modules, which would then be “fed back into the production chain.” The company did not provide further details on this claim, including where and how the materials would be returned to the PV production chain.
The company charges £6 for each panel under 2 meters in size and £7 for anything larger. It said it plans to launch a residential module recycling service in “Phase 2” of the program, which is currently under development.
According to media reports, Darren Sykes, UKI head of warehouse and logistics at Segen, said: “As commercial solar capacity in the UK continues to grow rapidly, more and more installations are reaching the end of their operational life, or are being powered as technology advances.
“As the UK’s largest distributor of renewable energy, we see it as our responsibility to provide a practical, reliable and cost-effective solution. Our recycling program will not only ensure panels are processed safely, but will also recover valuable materials for reuse, reduce impact on landfill and strengthen our customers’ ESG credentials.”
Currently, solar panels in the UK must be recycled under Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, with some companies already offering recycling services. However, according to law firm Osborne Clarkewrite for Solar energy portal Last year, the costs of these recycling obligations could be complex, especially when considering modules that may have failed and not reached their expected useful life.
PV system recycling and end-of-life have become a major issue in many developed markets. Our sister site, PV technology, has addressed the issue extensively, most recently in a deep dive into the US module recycling industry (subscription required). Other markets, especially Australiahave also made significant efforts to address the growing amount of PV waste as the industry proliferates.
