The correct disposal of solar and photovoltaic panels at the end of their life cycle is a truly ambitious challenge that can only be met by using high-performance recycling machinery specifically designed to process this special type of waste.
The amount of photovoltaic panels that will need to be disposed of worldwide in the coming decades is projected to reach 80 million tons by 2050. Fortunately, the technology we have today allows us to recover up to 98% of the materials contained in each spent solar panel, transforming this massive amount of waste into a valuable resource ready for new uses.
Aware of the importance of this challenge, CAMEC has developed custom solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of companies involved in the disposal of photovoltaic panels.
What you will find on this page:
- Photovoltaic Panel Disposal: Some Data
- Regulations and Incentives for Photovoltaic Panel Disposal
- The Correct Treatment of End-of-Life Solar Panels: CAMEC's Solutions
1. Photovoltaic Panel Disposal: The Data
The first photovoltaic systems in Italy were installed at the end of the 1970s, on an experimental basis and using technologies and materials that were far less efficient than those we have today. However, these first steps in the world of renewable energy production were fundamental in starting a process that has led to increasingly impressive results over time. This is also due to constant technological improvements that allow us to benefit from photovoltaic systems capable of generating—for the same surface area—three times more energy than they did just a few years ago.
Thanks in part to this continuous improvement in solar panel efficiency, the adoption of photovoltaic systems in Italy has seen a steady increase since the 1990s, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. This is supported by a growing focus on issues related to building sustainability and the use of energy from renewable sources.
In this scenario, it is becoming increasingly urgent to identify efficient and sustainable solutions for properly treating solar panels that have reached the end of their useful life and need to be replaced with new, latest-generation panels. The spread of photovoltaic systems in Italy surged from the early 2000s, and given that the useful life of this type of system is around twenty to twenty-five years, it is clear that the correct management of this particular waste is an issue of vital importance that must be addressed with specific solutions and technologies.
The volume of photovoltaic panels that will need to be disposed of in the coming years is truly significant, and it is expected to peak between 2027 and 2033, before leveling off at very high numbers. It is estimated that by 2050, nearly 4 billion solar panels worldwide will need to be managed and recycled, corresponding to a weight of approximately 80 million tons. In Italy, Enel distribution estimates that around 2 million tons of solar panels will need to be recycled by 2050.
In this context, it is important not to forget a fundamental fact: solar and photovoltaic panels are primarily composed of materials that can be successfully recovered and recycled if treated correctly. Panels are mainly made of glass and aluminum and contain a significant percentage of valuable materials that, even if present in small quantities, have a substantial economic value. Furthermore, panels also contain limited amounts of potentially hazardous substances (lead, cadmium, gallium, etc.) that must be properly separated and treated to prevent them from posing risks to the environment and human health.
A decommissioned solar panel weighing approximately 20 kg can provide companies responsible for its treatment with 14 kg of glass and 3 kg of aluminum, in addition to significant amounts of copper, silicon, and other precious metals that, once separated, can be properly valorized. At the end of the treatment process, it is possible to recover and recycle about 95-98% of the materials that make up each individual photovoltaic panel, transforming this waste into a very useful resource.
2. Regulations and Incentives for Photovoltaic Panel Disposal
The importance of the correct disposal of end-of-life photovoltaic systems is highlighted by the existence of specific European regulations, later adopted by Italian law, that govern the management of this type of waste.
Photovoltaic panels are **classified as WEEE type 4, and therefore can only be disposed of at specialized Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment treatment centers, as established by Legislative Decree 49/2014, which was later confirmed by Ministerial Decree 40/2023.
The disposal of these panels is free for the owner if the systems are classified as "domestic systems" (capable of generating power between 3 and 10 kW). However, the cost falls on the owner if the panels constitute a professional system (i.e., a system with a power greater than 10 kW) and were installed before April 12, 2014. In this latter case, the system owner must bear the disposal costs, unless they choose to replace the old system with new-generation panels. If the system is replaced, the "one-for-one" principle applies, which obligates the company supplying the new system to cover the costs of collection and disposal of the previously installed panels.
The correct disposal of solar panels also provides an additional benefit for users who installed their systems using the "Conto Energia" incentives (an incentive scheme managed by GSE - Gestore dei Servizi Energetici that was operational from 2006 to 2013). The Conto Energia provides that GSE withholds a percentage of the incentives (equal to €10 for each installed panel) as a guarantee for the future disposal of the system. When the owner provides GSE with documentation certifying the correct disposal of the panels, this amount is then refunded. This regulation applies to any type of system, professional or domestic, regardless of its power.
3. Proper Treatment of End-of-Life Solar Panels: CAMEC Solutions
As stipulated by Legislative Decree 49/2014, once disposed of and delivered to WEEE collection centers, solar panels must be sent to specific treatment facilities that are responsible for separating their components and recovering all valuable materials, which, as we have seen, make up a percentage that is close to 100% of the total weight of each panel.
In this way, in addition to protecting the environment and preventing the waste of valuable resources, an important economic return is generated from the ability to recover materials that can be effectively recycled, such as glass (which is 100% and infinitely recyclable), aluminum, or copper.
The process for treating photovoltaic panels first involves separating the glass sheets containing the silicon solar cells from their aluminum frames. This step can be performed manually or automatically and makes it easy to recover the aluminum present in the panel, which accounts for about 10% of its total weight. Next, the glass panel is subjected to a delamination process that separates the glass percentage without damaging the underlying components.
Once the aluminum and glass are removed, the other components of the panel are sent for shredding, which is necessary to obtain material of a reduced size that can then be screened and separated to differentiate the individual components. Shredding must be performed with high-performance, custom-designed machinery, such as CAMEC's GRR280 single-rotor shredder. Subsequently, the shredded mass can be processed with a granulator, such as CAMEC's TBR650 Turbine, which transforms non-ferrous metals into granules to facilitate the subsequent screening process.
The ground material is then subjected to various stages of selection and screening, which allow for the precise distinction of the different material fractions and the separation of the various types of metal. The separation is carried out by controlling the size of the material present and utilizing advanced technologies, such as densimetric systems and multi-level vibrating separators, to achieve effective recovery of the valuable materials in the shredded mass.
The choice of the most suitable machinery and screening systems for treating solar panels requires a careful evaluation of the characteristics of the individual WEEE recycling plant, the quantities of materials to be processed, and the expected performance in terms of quality and speed of the differentiation process. This is why CAMEC's technicians are available to work with clients to design customized solutions for the treatment of technological waste, including solar panels. Our personalized approach allows us to identify the best solutions for each company, optimizing treatment activities and minimizing the environmental impact of recycling processes, while also maximizing the amount of properly sorted and recovered material.
