Pioneering photovoltaic recycling project in Spain

Spain / India – Spain is set for its first plant dedicated to the recycling of solar panel systems. Domestic renewable energy provider Electria is teaming up with Poseidon Solar of India – which provides silicon recycling services for the global solar industry – in a Euro 3 million investment in a plant to be known as PVR3. Around 20 direct jobs will be created.

‘In the coming years, we will have to regulate the recycling of waste components and renewable energy, a sector which shows exponential growth,’ says José Luis Manzano, President of Electria. ‘The recycling of the modules, whether production waste or from photovoltaic power plants, is essential. It will create a niche in the recycling industry, bringing a new market with high added value.’

According to the Spanish firm, silicon raw material accounts for 70% of the total cost of a solar cell. Electria estimates that at least 10 000 tonnes of photovoltaic panels need to be recycled each year in Europe; this figure will rise to around 15 000 tonnes by 2015, and to approximately 35 000 tonnes by 2020, it is believed. The company is also considering the building of a plant to recycle wind turbine blades and establishing a laboratory where the recycling element of emerging technologies can be researched.