After tying up with SOLARCYCLE in February 2024, Qcells has launched its own solar panel recycling venture, EcoRecycle. (Illustrative Photo; Photo Credit: tolobalaguer.com/Shutterstock.com)  
Business

Qcells Goes Circular With New Solar Recycling Division

South Korean company says it will be the 1st C-Si solar panel producer in the US to have a full value chain, from manufacturing to recycling

Anu Bhambhani

  • Qcells has ventured into solar panel recycling business with the launch of EcoRecycle 

  • It will have the capacity to recycle 250 MW or 500,000 solar panels annually when it launches this year  

  • EcoRecycle aims for cost-effective take-back, material recovery, and carbon footprint reduction in solar waste  

South Korea-headquartered vertically integrated solar PV manufacturer Qcells has added a new vertical to its portfolio with EcoRecycle, venturing into solar panel recycling at its existing factory in Cartersville, Georgia.  

The EcoRecycle factory will have an annual capacity to recycle close to 250 MW of solar panels at full capacity, representing around 500,000 panels/year. It will repurpose aluminum, glass, silver and copper among other materials. 

"With this new business, Qcells will emerge as the first-ever crystalline silicon (C-Si) solar panel producer to possess a full value chain, conducting both solar panel manufacturing and recycling on U.S. soil,” said Qcells’ Senior Director of Sustainability Kelly Weger. “Effectively managing solar waste is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the clean energy sector.”

According to the manufacturer, EcoRecycle will focus on the following 3 key initiatives:  

  1. Offering a cost-saving take-back service with low recycling fees, ensuring seamless, affordable and responsible solar panel disposal. 

  2. Advancing proprietary high-purity resource separation technology to maximize material recovery, reuse and sustainability in solar recycling. 

  3. Reducing carbon emissions in PV panel production through the utilization of recycled resources, strengthening the domestic supply chain and promoting a circular solar economy. 

Qcells plans to expand its recycling network across the US with various centers by optimizing logistics. EcoRecycle will formally launch recycling operations at the Georgia location this year.  

This follows the company’s February 2024 partnership with SOLARCYCLE to recycle its decommissioned, installed and owned panels (see Qcells Enters Solar Panel Recycling Partnership In US).