Solar Materials’ recycling process achieves up to 98% recovery of key materials, including silicon, silver, glass, and aluminum from solar panels
The chemical-free process reduces waste and significantly cuts energy consumption, especially for materials like aluminum, saving 95% energy compared to mining
Recovered high-purity materials are repurposed for new applications, such as technical uses for silver, container glass production, and silicon processing through Circular Silicon
Germany’s cleantech company, Solar Materials offers its patented recycling solution specifically designed to recover up to 98% of raw materials from solar panels, including highly valuable components such as silicon and silver. Its innovative thermo-mechanical process does not use chemicals and allows for efficient separation and recovery of essential materials like high-purity glass, aluminum, copper, and polymers. This process not only makes solar panel recycling more efficient but also plays a crucial role in building a circular economy, helping to make solar energy more sustainable by reducing waste.
The company’s process particularly focuses on the economic recovery of silver and silicon as well as high-quality glass. The technology was one of the finalists for The smarter E AWARD 2024 in the Photovoltaics category. The front glass of a solar module accounts for around 70% of the total mass. Solar Materials’ recycling process recovers the glass in high purity to be used as container glass, with the goal of reaching solar glass quality later on. Aluminum is found in solar panels primarily in the frame and accounts for about 15% of the mass. The recovered aluminum is fed to large aluminum smelters. This saves energy by about 95% compared to newly mined aluminum.
The recovered silicon is processed into pure silicon by the company’s partner Circular Silicon. Silver makes up only about 0.1% of the total mass of the solar panel but is the most valuable raw material inside a solar panel. After recycling, the silver can be purified and used again for technical applications. Solar Materials' technology reduces the energy required for recycling by 80% compared to the production of new raw materials, further enhancing its environmental benefits.
Solar Materials is scaling its operations with a new industrial plant in Magdeburg, Germany, which will expand its recycling capacity to 10,000 tons annually. This facility serves as a blueprint for further global expansion as the demand for solar panel recycling grows with increasing solar installations worldwide.