Life Cycle Management and Recycling of PV Systems

PV POWER PLANT TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS Life cycle management and recycling of PV systems

Parikhit Sinha, Sukhwant Raju, Karen Drozdiak and Andreas Wade of First Solar look at the growing importance of PV recycling financial, legal, professional Technical Briefing Life cycle management and recycling of PV systems

Recycling | The end-of-life handling of PV equipment is becoming an important element in the total life cycle costs of PV generation assets. Parikhit Sinha, Sukhwant Raju, Karen Drozdiak and Andreas Wade of First Solar look at the growing importance of PV recycling

n 2015, estimated annual global managed in accordance with general for PV Recycling and Safety Disposal volumes of electronic waste (e-waste) waste treatment and disposal require- Research under the 12th five-year plan. Ireached a record 43.8 million metric ments [2]. Beyond general waste regula- Directives for accelerating the end-of- tons and global e-waste generation is tion, voluntary and regulatory approach- life management of waste PV modules expected to increase up to 50 million es have been specifically developed for are also expected in the 13th five-year metric tons by 2018 [1]. Even though managing end-of-life PV waste. plan. In India, PV waste is managed by solar PV panels significantly differ from The European Union (EU) was the first the Ministry of Environment, Forest typical consumer electronic products, to adopt PV-specific waste regulations and Climate Change under the 2016 global regulators view PV panels increas- by mandating the recycling of all solar Solid Waste Management Rules and the ingly in the context of e-waste regula- panels under the Waste Electrical and Hazardous and Other Wastes (Manage- tions. Solar PV currently accounts for less Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive ment and Transboundary Movement) than 1% of total annual e-waste volumes. (2012/19/EU). Since 2012, the provi- Rules [2]. However, as PV deployment continues to sions of the WEEE Directive have been Internationally, a new sustainability grow exponentially, cumulative PV waste transposed into national law by the EU leadership standard for PV modules is expected to amount to 1.7 million-8 member states, creating the first manda- (NSF 457) includes product end-of-life million metric tons by 2030, equivalent tory market for PV module recycling. In management criteria covering take-back to 3-16% of total e-waste produced the United States, PV panel disposal is and recycling. annually today [2]. As global PV demand covered under the Resource Conserva- increases and more modules and tion and Recovery Act, which is the legal PV recycling technology systems reach the end of their useful life framework for managing hazardous In recent years, R&D projects on PV over the next 10-15 years, recycling will and non-hazardous waste. In 2016, the recycling technology have been become increasingly important for all PV US Solar Energy Industries Association sponsored in Europe, China, Japan and technologies to ensure that clean energy (SEIA) partnered with PV manufactur- Korea, and there has been significant solutions do not pose a waste burden. ers and installer-developers to volun- patent activity for both crystalline silicon In addition to ensuring compliance tarily launch a national PV recycling (c-Si) and thin-film PV module recycling with evolving regulatory waste manage- programme, which aims to make technology in the same regions as well ment requirements, PV recycling offers affordable PV recycling solutions more as in the United States [4]. Recycling an opportunity to influence project accessible to consumers [3]. technology can be categorised as economics in an increasingly commod- In Japan, end-of-life PV panels are either bulk recycling (recovery of itised market. As component prices covered under the general regulatory high-mass fraction materials such as continue to drop, the financial provisions framework for waste management (the glass, aluminum and copper) or high- Figure 1. High related to decommissioning, collection Waste Management and Public Cleans- value PV recycling value recycling (recovery of both bulk and recycling become more relevant to ing Act), which defines industrial waste process steps materials and semiconductor and trace the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for generator and handler responsibilities PV generation assets. These provisions and waste management requirements have to be taken into consideration including landfill disposal. In 2015, a during PV project development, site roadmap for promoting a scheme for permitting and when putting PV system collection, recycling and proper treat- components on the market (i.e. PV ment of end-of-life renewable energy modules, inverters, other electrical and equipment was developed, followed in electronic products). 2016 by a guideline promoting proper end-of-life treatment of PV modules Voluntary and regulatory including recycling [2]. approaches to end-of-life China has no PV-specific waste management in leading markets regulations but has sponsored R&D on In most countries, PV panels are classi- PV recycling technologies through the fied as general or industrial waste and National High-tech R&D Programme

www.pv-tech.org metals). Bulk recycling is similar to exist- substances in output glass fractions shall ing laminated glass recycling technol- not exceed the following defined limit ogy in other industries, and may not values: recover environmentally sensitive (e.g., • 1 mg/kg (dry matter) cadmium Pb, Cd, Se) or valuable (e.g., Ag, In, Te, (Si-based PV); 10 mg/kg (dry matter) solar-grade Si) materials in PV modules. cadmium (non-Si-based PV) High-value PV recycling consists of three • 1 mg/kg (dry matter) selenium main steps: pretreatment to remove the (Si-based PV); 10 mg/kg (dry matter) metal frame and junction box, delamina- selenium (non-Si-based PV) tion to remove the module encapsulant • 100 mg/kg (dry matter) lead and recovery to extract glass and metals from the module (Figure 1). The residual value of a PV system Some common goals in PV recycling at end-of-life technology are to maximise recov- Decommissioning cost modelling ery yields, minimise impurities in the Figure 3. Estimat- and other metals including tin and Decommissioning a PV system at end-of- products of recycling and minimise ed cumulative PV lead. Thin-film CIGS and CdTe PV panels life involves dismantling and disposing of waste volumes capital and operating costs to be consist of higher proportions of glass: the system. For utility-scale PV projects, in leading solar competitive with other disposal options. markets by 2030 89% and 97%, respectively [2]. local permitting requirements often Ensuring worker safety and environmen- and 2050 (regular Current PV waste volumes remain low include stringent decommissioning and tal protection are additional priorities loss scenario) [2] as modules have a lifetime of 25 years or land remediation measures [7] [8]. These that are implemented through manage- more. However, as global PV deployment specify disconnecting the project from ment systems such as OHSAS 18001 and continues to grow and more modules the grid, removing the installed features ISO 14001, and air emissions controls reach the end of their useful life over (modules, trackers, electrical wire, invert- and wastewater treatment technology. the next 10-20 years, PV waste is set to ers, transformers, fencing, O&M building, In addition to technology, other increase nearly 40-fold by 2030 under etc.), and recontouring and revegetating related considerations that affect the a normal loss scenario, which assumes the land to its preconstruction condition. viability of PV recycling are effective a 30-year module lifetime. Leading For example, the following utility-scale collection schemes, predictable waste solar markets including China, the US, PV projects in the US and Germany have volumes, customers for the products Germany, Japan and India (Figure 3) are decommissioning plans containing of recycling and regulations on the expected to represent the majority of detailed cost estimates for dismantling, handling and transport of waste. These these projected PV waste streams [2]. disposal and site restoration. factors can affect commercial decisions By 2030, the recoverable value from • Desert Stateline Solar Farm Project on when and where to site PV recycling recycling end-of-life PV modules is (300 MWAC PV project in California) [7]; facilities and whether to operate them in estimated to amount to US$450 million. • Helmeringen I Solar Park (10 MWAC PV a centralised or decentralised (mobile) The recovery value of glass alone has project in Germany) [8]; manner [5]. the potential to exceed US$28 million, • Silver State South Solar Project (250

assuming an average secondary material MWAC PV project in Nevada) [9]. The recovery value of a PV market price of US$30-50/mt depending module on recovery quality of the glass [6]. Costs from these and other representa- PV panels typically consist of glass, In Europe, the current raw material tive projects can be aggregated and used aluminum, copper and semiconduc- recovery rate for recycling PV modules to model the present value of the net tor materials that can be successfully is 65-70% by mass and is in line with cost to decommission a PV power plant recovered and reused at the end of their the EU WEEE Directive. CENELEC, the (NDCPV): useful life (Figure 2). By mass, today’s European Committee for Electrotech- typical crystalline silicon PV panels nical Standardisation, has developed consist of approximately 76% glass, 10% Figure 2. Average a supplementary standard specific polymer (encapsulant and backsheet recoverable to PV panel collection and treatment where, material fractions foil), 8% aluminium, 5% silicon semicon- (EN50625-2-4 & TS50625-3-5) to assist DC + IC = Direct cost (labour, equip- of PV Panels in T T ductor, 1% copper (interconnectors) 2030 based on [2] treatment operators. The standard speci- ment) and indirect cost of PV and less than 0.1% silver (contact lines) fies various administrative, organisa- plant de-installation, demoli- tional and technical requirements aimed tion, recovery, and land at preventing pollution and improper reclamation in year T.

disposal, minimising emissions, promot- MRT = PV module recycling cost in ing increased material recycling and year T.

high-value recovery operations, and LFT = Landfill disposal cost in year T, impeding PV waste shipments to facili- including landfill tipping fees ties that fail to comply with standard and hauling, of non-salvagea- environmental and health and safety ble material.

requirements. The standard includes SVT = Scrap value of steel, copper specific depollution requirements and aluminum recovered whereby the content of hazardous during PV solar field and www.pv-tech.org Technical Briefing financial, legal, professional

Figure 4. Material fractions of PV power plants [10] Figure 5. First Solar’s first-generation recycling technology based on the mining industry’s batch process power equipment removal and sold to recyclers at prices prevailing in year T.

LV T = Value of reclaimed land in year T. r = Rate of annual discount applied to costs and revenues realised in year T.

In order for net costs to be negative (profitable), the scrap metal value and/ or land value must exceed the decommissioning costs. In particular, there are large quantities of steel, copper and aluminum in PV power plants (Figure 4) associated with mounting structures and electrical cables. Recent economic analysis indicates that the commercial scrap value of PV power plant decommissioning (mainly associated with scrap steel and copper) exceeds decommissioning costs, incentivising recycling over disposal. Decommissioning cost optimisation modelling by Fthenakis et al. [11] Figure 6. First Solar’s second-generation recycling technology based on the chemical industry’s batch process estimated a net profit of up to US$1.58 per module area. Monte Carlo analysis by ERM [12] indicated 100% confidence in a net profit from PV plant decommissioning when land value was included and up to 95% confidence in a net profit when land value was excluded, depending on plant design scenarios such as above-ground versus below-ground cabling. High-value recycling scenarios in both studies indicate opportunities to positively influence project economics and the LCOE of a given PV project, with net revenues of up to US$0.01-0.02/W from project decommissioning (exclud- ing land value).

State-of-the-art: the First Solar recycling process In 2005, First Solar established the industry’s first voluntary global module recycling programme and has been Figure 7. First Solar’s third-generation PV recycling technology based on a continuous-flow process www.pv-tech.org financial, legal, professional Technical Briefing

proactively investing in recycling Authors technology improvements and driving Dr. Parikhit Sinha is a Senior Scientist in the Global Sustainability group at down recycling costs ever since (figures First Solar, where he leads the company’s research on environmental prod- 5-7). In contrast to mechanical recycling uct safety and life cycle assessment. He is a member of the International processes which focus on recovering Energy Agency PVPS Task 12 Committee on PV Environmental, Health, and major components such as glass, copper Safety, and a former study director at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. and aluminum, First Solar’s high-value He has a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a B.A. in environmental engineering from Harvard University. recycling process is able to recapture more materials while retaining their Sukhwant Raju is the Global Director of Recycling Operations and Services at maximum value so they can be reused in First Solar where he leads the development of PV module recycling technol- new First Solar modules and new glass or ogy and manages a global recycling team, which currently operates com- rubber products. First Solar’s state-of-the- mercial-scale recycling plants in Europe, Asia, and the United States. He has more than 28 years of experience in the chemical and environmental indus- art PV recycling process recovers more try and has been involved in the technical design, operations, and business than 90% of the semiconductor material management of chemical treatment, recycling, and hazardous waste management and approximately 90% of glass. operations at several companies. Sukhwant is a chemical engineer with an Executive First Solar’s first-generation recycling MBA degree from David Eccles School of Business at University Of Utah. technology was based on the mining Karen Drozdiak is the Sustainability Communications and Analysis Manager industry and involved moving glass and at First Solar, where her responsibilities include data analysis, market liquid from process to process with a research, internal and external sustainability communications, and corpo- modest 10 metric tons per day capacity. rate sustainability reporting. She has worked in the PV industry for the past In 2011, First Solar developed its second- six years and recently participated in the development of the industry’s first generation recycling technology, which sustainability leadership standard, led by NSF International and the Green Electronics Council. Karen has a B.A. in History and U.S. Foreign Policy from Columbia was based on the chemical industry University and an M.A. in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Anglo- batch process of circulating liquids within American University in Prague. scalable reactor columns (30 metric tons per day capacity). Andreas Wade is the global sustainability director at First Solar where he has In 2015, First Solar developed its third- been in charge of the company’s sustainability programme for the past three years. He previously supported business development as director of techni- generation recycling technology which cal relations and public affairs in Europe. Prior to joining First Solar, Andreas achieves superior glass and semicon- designed and implemented the life cycle management strategy for Q-Cells ductor purity with reduced capital and and worked as a process engineer at Shell Exploration and Production. operating (chemicals, waste and labour) Andreas is the deputy operating agent of the International Energy Agency’s PVPS Task 12 costs. The continuous-flow process Committee and currently also leads the development of a minimum recycling standard for PV modules within the Technical Committee 111X Working Group 6 of CENELEC. improves the recycling efficiency and throughput, increasing the plant’s daily recycling capacity from 30 metric tons to 150 metric tons. First Solar is proactively investing in References recycling technology improvements to [1] C. P. Baldé, F. Wang, R. Kuehr and J. Huisman, “The Global E-Waste Monitor”, United Nations drive down overall PV waste collection University, IAS-SCYCLE, Bonn, Germany, 2014. and recycling costs. By 2018, First Solar [2] S. Weckend, A. Wade, G. Heath and K. Wambach, “End-of-Life Management: Photovoltaic Panels”, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), International Energy Agency recycling plants will have zero liquid Photovoltaic Power Systems Program Task 12 (IEA PVPS Task 12), Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, waste discharge and will convert most 2016. of the incoming PV waste streams into [3] E. Butler, “SEIA National PV Recycling Program”, in Solar Power International, Las Vegas, 2016. valuable raw materials for other indus- [4] K. Komoto and J. Lee, “End-of-Life Management of Photovoltaic Panels: Trends in PV Module Recycling Technologies”, IEA-PVPS T12-10:2017, 2017. tries. [5] D. Ravikumar, P. Sinha, T. Seager and M. Fraser, “An anticipatory approach to quantify energetics of recycling CdTe photovoltaic systems”, Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl., vol. 24, pp. 735- Conclusions 746, 2015. The responsible life cycle management [6] Eurostat, “Recycling – Secondary Material Price Indicator”, 2014. [Online]. Available: http:// ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Recycling_%E2%80%93_secondary_ of PV systems is not only becoming a material_price_indicator#Glass. compliance requirement, e.g. in the [7] Desert Stateline, LLC; LSA Associates, Inc., “Closure, Decomissioning, And Reclamation European Union where PV module Plan - Stateline Solar Farm Project San Bernadino County, California”, U.S. Bureau of Land Managment, Needles, San Bernadino County, California, USA, 2014. recycling is already mandated by the EU [8] Schimpf, G. et.al.; Gehrlicher Solar AG, “Untersuchungen zum Recycling einer konkreten PV WEEE directive, but also offers oppor- Anlage”, Forum Solarpraxis, Berlin, Germany, 2011. tunities to positively influence project [9] Silver State Solar Power South, LLC; CH2MHill, “Facility Decommissioning Plan Silver State Solar economics and the LCOE of a given PV South Project”, Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 2014. [10] J. E. Mason, V. M. Fthenakis, T. Hansen and H. C. Kim, “Energy Payback and Life-cycle CO2 project by leveraging cost-effective, Emissions of the BOS in an Optimised 3.5MW PV Installation”, Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl., vol. high-value recycling technologies. In 14, no. 2, pp. 179-190, 2006. addition to creating value from second- [11] V. Fthenakis, Z. Zhang and J. Choi, “Cost Optimisation of Decommissioning and Recycling ary resources, PV recycling services help CdTe PV Power Plants”, in Proc. IEEE PVSC, Washington D.C., 2017. [12] A. Cates and R. Stifter, “PV Power Plant Net Decommissioning Cost Model Technical Report”, de-risk the decommissioning and end-of- Environmental Resources Management (ERM), San Francisco, CA., 2017. life phase for PV asset owners. 

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