Recycling of solar panels

[Jlop 60]

We'll be lucky if our solar panels last 20 years. And then what will we do with them all?  There are a lot of environmental  problems from producing these panels  with all of the mining and energy needed. We just don't see them as much because a lot of them take place in China and other countries rather than where the panels end up being used. The problem seems to be that the materials used in solar panels cost more to take out of the dead ones then you get for them. Has anyone heard of any planning or efforts to dismantle and recycle solar panels that no longer work in Asia? Maybe this is a pipe dream in a country where so many people throw all of their garbage on the street or into the river. But it seems worth asking and thinking about. For more background please see https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/utah/2021/1/30/22249311/why-green-energy-isnt-so-green-and-poses-harm-to-the-environment-hazardous-waste-utah-china-solar

[Muhendis 918]

7 minutes ago, Jlop said:

We'll be lucky if our solar panels last 20 years. And then what will we do with them all?  There are a lot of environmental  problems from producing these panels  with all of the mining and energy needed. We just don't see them as much because a lot of them take place in China and other countries rather than where the panels end up being used. The problem seems to be that the materials used in solar panels cost more to take out of the dead ones then you get for them. Has anyone heard of any planning or efforts to dismantle and recycle solar panels that no longer work in Asia? Maybe this is a pipe dream in a country where so many people throw all of their garbage on the street or into the river. But it seems worth asking and thinking about. For more background please see https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/utah/2021/1/30/22249311/why-green-energy-isnt-so-green-and-poses-harm-to-the-environment-hazardous-waste-utah-china-solar

That's a good question you are asking. Basically the answer is they are virtually 100% recyclable. However there needs to be an infrastructure of sorts to do this. In more solar savvy countries I believe this already exists. In Thailand that may not yet be the case. I'm sure there is a business opportunity here somewhere but it will probably be a few years before such a business will have a lot to do.

https://forevergreen-energy.co.uk/can-solar-panels-be-recycled/#:~:text=The short answer is yes,into landfill in the UK.

[Jlop 60]

6 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

That's a good question you are asking. Basically the answer is they are virtually 100% recyclable. However there needs to be an infrastructure of sorts to do this. In more solar savvy countries I believe this already exists. In Thailand that may not yet be the case. I'm sure there is a business opportunity here somewhere but it will probably be a few years before such a business will have a lot to do.

https://forevergreen-energy.co.uk/can-solar-panels-be-recycled/#:~:text=The short answer is yes,into landfill in the UK.

The key seems to be getting the companies to agree to take them back or forcing them to take them back. And then they have to recycle the materials. But we are a long way from that in a lot of countries including Thailand.

[BritManToo 45,561]

43 minutes ago, Jlop said:

Has anyone heard of any planning or efforts to dismantle and recycle solar panels that no longer work in Asia?

Knock the aluminium off them and use as roofing sheets.

Garden shed, dog house, etc.

[Estrada 2,749]

12 hours ago, Jlop said:

We'll be lucky if our solar panels last 20 years. And then what will we do with them all?  There are a lot of environmental  problems from producing these panels  with all of the mining and energy needed. We just don't see them as much because a lot of them take place in China and other countries rather than where the panels end up being used. The problem seems to be that the materials used in solar panels cost more to take out of the dead ones then you get for them. Has anyone heard of any planning or efforts to dismantle and recycle solar panels that no longer work in Asia? Maybe this is a pipe dream in a country where so many people throw all of their garbage on the street or into the river. But it seems worth asking and thinking about. For more background please see https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/utah/2021/1/30/22249311/why-green-energy-isnt-so-green-and-poses-harm-to-the-environment-hazardous-waste-utah-china-solar

The design life of solar panels is 25 years and the average life is 30 years. Thailand already has at least one company that is handling waste solar panels mainly due to damage on site. Since few solar panels were on line until 2008, it follows that there will be few end-of-life panels sent for recycle until 2038. Thailand has already planned, since 2010 under an ADB study, to cope with the waste when it comes. EGAT is actively involved and 100 solar panel recycling facilities are planned. Korea has just announced that it has commissioned its' first Solar Panel recycling plant. China has quite a number already and hold the most patents on the process. Unlike Europe and the U.S. the Chinese are recovery virtually all the materials contained within the solar panel.

 

[Jlop 60]

I hope you're right, because  I'm not sure I can install a solar system  when I don't know about the full  life cycle of the product. The history of broken promises made around recycling plastic, e-waste, etc. makes me wonder if this will all come true. And how much confidence can we have in promises from this government? The solar energy industry is as good as any other before it at promoting the benefits of their products and not mentioning the downsides. What's EGAT by the way?

[VocalNeal 7,463]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Knock the aluminium off them and use as roofing sheets.

Garden shed, dog house, etc.

 

Chuck them out by the bin. They will soon disappear into the local recycling system?

 

6 minutes ago, Jlop said:

I'm not sure I can install a solar system  when I don't know about the full  life cycle of the product.

 

Is an electric car on your horizon? Or a new TV? or... 

[BritManToo 45,561]

6 minutes ago, Jlop said:

I hope you're right, because  I'm not sure I can install a solar system  when I don't know about the full  life cycle of the product.

This sounds to me more like a mental illness.

Do you obsess this much about a plastic water/drinks bottle purchased in 7-11 before you buy it?

No fridge, no air-con, no car, no bicycle, no computer, no tv?

Edited February 22 by BritManToo

[Ponlamai 59]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Knock the aluminium off them and use as roofing sheets.

Garden shed, dog house, etc.

No need to do that. Just put a layer of foam like they use in concrete edging etc and silicone it in between each panel and use bugle head screws with large washers to secure the panels to the framing and bingo, you have very resilient roofing with filtered light coming through as a bonus.

I built an awning over the sunny side of my house and replaced the rusty iron that covered my front veranda with old PVs.

[Jlop 60]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

This sounds to me more like a mental illness.

Do you obsess this much about a plastic water/drinks bottle purchased in 7-11 before you buy it?

No fridge, no air-con, no car, no bicycle, no computer, no tv?

 

19 hours ago, Muhendis said:

That's a good question you are asking. Basically the answer is they are virtually 100% recyclable. However there needs to be an infrastructure of sorts to do this. In more solar savvy countries I believe this already exists. In Thailand that may not yet be the case. I'm sure there is a business opportunity here somewhere but it will probably be a few years before such a business will have a lot to do.

https://forevergreen-energy.co.uk/can-solar-panels-be-recycled/#:~:text=The short answer is yes,into landfill in the UK.

 

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

This sounds to me more like a mental illness.

Do you obsess this much about a plastic water/drinks bottle purchased in 7-11 before you buy it?

No fridge, no air-con, no car, no bicycle, no computer, no tv?

You can call it a mental illness, because that's what you're familiar with. I call it a conscience.

[AgMech Cowboy 1,341]

4 hours ago, Jlop said:

And how much confidence can we have in promises from this government?

Or any Government for that matter.  I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned plastic recycling...  We should have stopped and glass cola bottles and aluminium beer cans. 

[AgMech Cowboy 1,341]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Do you obsess this much about a plastic water/drinks bottle purchased in 7-11 before you buy it?

Maybe we should...

[Crossy 28,038]

1 hour ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Maybe we should...

 

The late '70s UK "Get it in glass" campaign had a point.

 

[Muhendis 918]

23 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

The late '70s UK "Get it in glass" campaign had a point.

 

I used to go out collecting the "empties" when I was a nipper. each one got me tuppence round at the off licence.

[Crossy 28,038]

5 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

I used to go out collecting the "empties" when I was a nipper. each one got me tuppence round at the off licence.

 

One assumes you would never dream of pinching empties from the back of the "offie" and getting the deposit back again, and again, and again ...