The Research Centre Academy of Trinasolar has made progress in photovoltaic sustainability thanks to proprietary technology. This has led to the creation of the first recycled solar panel with n-type TOPCon technology
Trinasolar’s recycled photovoltaic module has a module efficiency of 20.7%
The first recycled photovoltaic module in crystalline silicon comes from China, specifically from the scientific research of Trinasolar. Everything in the panel is made from waste: glass, aluminum, copper, and even the silicon wafer itself, which is the most difficult part to recover. This important achievement was celebrated enthusiastically by the company. “The Research Centre Academy has made a breakthrough with the innovative self-developed recycling technology, using materials […] recovered from discarded modules,” the company explained in a press release. “This is a significant milestone for the industry that strengthens Trinasolar’s position as a leader in sustainability.”
Recycling photovoltaic panels
Photovoltaic panels have a lifespan of about 25-35 years, but before they truly become waste, they could help create new economic value. End-of-life management could indeed become a significant component of the photovoltaic value chain. Specifically, from a 21 kg module, one can obtain an average of: 15 kg of glass (about 70% of the total weight of each unit), 2.8 kg of plastic material, 2 kg of aluminum, 1 kg of silicon powder, and about 0.14 kg of copper. This is a treasure not to be wasted.
Unfortunately, for a long time, photovoltaic recycling was technically stuck. Typically, up to 98% of a photovoltaic module’s weight can be recovered. However, increasing that percentage or reintegrating the recovered raw materials into a new production cycle has been a challenge for years.
The biggest problem is that the polymer layers that seal the solar panel and protect it from external elements can make dismantling and recycling difficult. Recovering the silicon is no small feat. Mechanical techniques can’t effectively reuse it since it’s recovered as powder with high contamination due to grinding. Chemical methods, on the other hand, risk damaging the wafer.
This is why, in recent years, a third route has emerged: thermochemical treatment, a path also followed by Trinasolar.
Trinasolar’s recycled solar panel
Collaboration with upstream and downstream partners also makes possible the production of the world’s first recycled photovoltaic module.
The secret? The use of a mix of innovative recycling solutions, including the use of interlayer separation reagents, chemical etching technology, and wet chemical extraction of silver. All this is combined with a low-temperature impurity removal process to “clean” the silicon wafer. “Through this process, we have achieved the recycling of all high-value material components from discarded solar panels.”
The recovered secondary raw materials were reused in production. The result is a fully recycled solar panel, featuring n-type TOPCon technology, with a module efficiency of 20.7% and an output power exceeding 645 W. The Chinese company has announced that it has filed 37 patents in the field of photovoltaic recycling.
