Lotus Energy Recycling plans to set up a solar panel recycling factory in Germany
It will invest $250 million in the factory at the invitation of Invest Region Leipzig
The planned factory will meet the growing demand for solar PV recycling, it said
Australian solar panel recycling company Lotus Energy Recycling (LER) has announced plans to establish a new factory in Germany’s Leipzig region of Saxony for an investment of $250 million.
LER says it has been invited by the Invest Region Leipzig, supported by the federal government and the State of Saxony, to make the investment. It will contribute critical minerals back to the industry, announced the company on its social media channels.
Invest Region Leipzig is the economic development agency for the Leipzig region of Germany, which helps new and established businesses relocate to or set up in the region. It is also the location for OPES Solar Mobility’s solar PV module factory for use in electric vehicles.
Planned to be spread in 24,000 m2 area, the LER site in Germany will feature a green roof, its own rail link, more than 2 MW of solar power to enable net-zero operations for the factory. It will also host beehives and native plants, said LER without sharing many details. This building is designed by Australian architect Mark Shouman.
The said factory will meet the massive demand for solar PV recycling, according to the Australian firm. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA),
LER previously announced a joint venture (JV) with Canada’s NEO Battery Materials to supply it with battery-boosting high-purity silicon from solar panels using its proprietary recycling technology.