Data from EnergyBin and Buckstop shows that used solar panels made up just 1% of resale offers in 2025, as falling prices for new panels weaken the economics of reuse.
Given that modules from the early 2010s solar wave are nearing the end of their expected lifespans, it’s no surprise that a wave of repowering has seemed imminent for some time. We’ve all heard the saying: new is always better, and it seems solar buyers agree. The tsunami of mass panel retirements hasn’t crashed yet.
According to new data from secondary solar market platform EnergyBin and urban mining startup Buckstop‘S Price index for PV modules 2025 – secondary solar marketused and obsolete modules represented just 2% of the resale supply listed on EnergyBin’s wholesale market last year, down from 5% in 2024 and 9% in 2022.
While the report notes that 2022 at first looked like the harbinger of a multi-year repowering trend that relied on the dismantling and remarketing of panels, the module offerings on EnergyBin in use in the years that followed “did not reflect such a trend.” 98% of the modules listed on the platform last year were brand new, never installed, and largely the result of project cancellations or delays that left developers with excess inventory.
A total of 1.62 million modules were offered for resale on EnergyBin in 2025, an increase of 16.8% compared to 2020. downstream solar hardware market is growing slowly but surely, although the growing glut of new modules may make it harder for the resale economy to figure this out.
“The global oversupply of modules has definitely resulted in a more challenging reuse market,” explains Nick Kumleben, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Buckstop, who co-authored the report. But he told it pv magazine USAthe market seems to improve so far in 2026as prices of new panels are likely to rise due to input cost inflation and new tariff measures.
Overall, secondary market prices are typically 20 to 70% lower than primary market prices. This especially applies to used equipment. According to the index, the average price for used modules has fallen 30% from January 2024 levels, falling to $0.058/W in the fourth quarter of 2025.
That’s a razor-thin resale margin that can make remarketing and repairs difficult, uneconomical, or not worth the time and money. That could be one reason why much of the current supply of used modules appears to be bypassing wholesale markets entirely to be exported or sold. recycled directly.
“The market could certainly be more transparent,” Kumleben said, especially “given the many trade classifications available to exporters of used panels and the sensitive nature of disposal decisions.”
The report notes that the price of used modules will likely remain below 10 cents per watt “until the global market corrects for the oversupply of new modules.” But not all models used will feel the pressure equally.
Panels less than ten years old with a degradation rate of less than about 0.5% to 1% per year still retain some resale potential, especially if they remain free of defects. Buyers are increasingly prioritizing long-term reliability, and Kumleben noted that panels with lower degradation rates have more resale potential later in their life cycle.
“The race to the bottom has resulted in a large number of errors occurring within a few years of implementation,” the authors write, pointing to the transition from a fully tempered 3.2mm glass to a 2.0mm double-glazed design that has made the modules more vulnerable.
Technology shifts are also playing a role, with P-type modules making up 72% of all resale inventory in the black, bifacial and monofacial categories. As the market transitions more fully to N-type architectures, vendors are expected to accelerate the phase-out of older technology. According to the May 2026 16th edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics (ITRPV), the market share of PERC cells is expected to decline to 10% by 2027 and disappear completely by 2035.
“Technological transitions do indeed result in challenges for the resale economy, but it is important to remember that in most resale markets, competition does not always come from new modules,” Kumleben noted. He pointed out that often “the alternative to a used panel is a diesel generator or no power supply at all.”
Older modules are also struggling on the resale market and accounted for only 1% of the supply last year. While they may be new and unused, older panels often can’t keep up with newer, more efficient modules; resale becomes impractical.
Secondary market dynamics could still change as falling prices for new modules could stabilize as Chinese manufacturers face continued losses. But rising sharply silver prices, which have increased by more than 200% in the past year, making production more expensive. Second-hand solar energy could create an opportunity, the report notes.
This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to collaborate with us and reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
