Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Opportunity: "US company claims a 99 percent recovery rate with old solar panels"

Figure it out, do some good, make some money.

From Interesting Engineering, December 26:

US company claims a 99 percent recovery rate with old solar panels
As more solar panels go out of service, there is a need for businesses to recycle them and put components into a circular economy.

We Recycle Solar, a startup based in Arizona, shows how old and out-of-service solar panels could be used in the future. The startup works directly with businesses, helping them dispose of solar waste responsibly and make some money.

The world is currently focused on phasing away fossil fuels and ushering in a carbon-less way of generating energy. Much of this plan rests on solar panels, which can trap sun rays and convert them into electricity. The technology has been improving over the years but also presents a problem now that the first wave of solar installations has come to the end of its life cycle. 

Solar panels are estimated to have a lifespan of 30 years, after which they can no longer generate power efficiently. In countries like the US, the user bears the cost of removing and recycling these panels, making it easier to dump them at a local landfill.

Recycling solar panels
Arizona-based We Recycle Solar aims to offer customers a better option than to dump the panels. It has partnered with various solar panel manufacturers, contractors, and utility companies to source older solar panels....