Anyone who works with solar energy is mindful of the advantages solar energy offers to the environment and communities nationwide. The U.S. has more than 2 million solar installations.
Furthermore, solar panels convert the sun’s rays into electricity by transferring electrons in silicon cells using the photons of light from the sun. They are used as a sustainable source of energy and can deliver electricity to homes and businesses.
With the average shelf life of a solar panel at roughly 20 years, installations from the early 2000s are on track to reach end-of-life status. In addition, solar panels contribute to the earth’s sustainable development. They are a natural source of energy, contingent only on solar radiation, and skilled in providing electricity to homes and businesses. However, the panels eventually fail to perform efficiently. The presence of hazardous materials in these solar panels can result in significant pollution and health issues. Companies use solar panels to be green, so to continue that loop, the next step is to recycle the solar panels themselves. Therefore, companies that have them should sell scrap PV solar panel modules to a recycler.
Different types and models of solar panels have varying nonferrous and precious metals content. The actual value or cost to recycle theme is primarily determined by the intrinsic values of the metals as they relate to the commodities marketplace – Comex and LME generally – as well as labor and transportation costs. Other factors include freight and logistics cost.
Interco prices every opportunity separately offering logistics services nationwide. Since Interco is not in the re-use business — and since very few modern day solar panels have a positive intrinsic value that’s more than the cost to recycle them — there is often a charge to recycle solar panels.
Like all recyclers, Interco is not the end-consumer of most of the material that comes out of a solar panel. Interco uses processes to recover as much material from the solar panels as possible. Different methods are used to recycle PV cells according to their type: silicon based or thin-film based. Crystalline-silicon panels make up the majority of the solar market these days, but fortunately not the majority of those recycled at present. Anything that Interco cannot perform in-house is downstreamed to partners who can.
Recyclers sell scrap PV solar panels modules because they are heavy. The main contributors to the total weight are:
- Glass
- Polymer
- Aluminum
- Silicon
- Copper
- Small amounts of silver, tin, and lead
A USA solar panel recycling company must have the appropriate expertise and credentials to recycle the material. A good place to start your research might be the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) website.
- This trade association “embodies the innovation and entrepreneurship that defines solar energy.”
- SEIA members represent North America’s top solar panel installers, decommissioning companies, and recycling companies. The membership experiences significant growth.
