A new report from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, E.ON Group Innovation and IfM Engage explores the challenges and circular solutions associated with the expected increase in solar panel waste over the coming years, highlighting the need to avoid causing an environmental crisis by addressing the climate crisis.
The solar photovoltaics (PV) industry is booming, driven by the urgent need to transition to clean energy and the positive feedback loop of improved efficiency and declining costs. In 2023, solar installations surged by 87%. However, this rapid growth has a hidden downside: a looming mountain of solar panel waste, estimated to reach as high as 200 mega tonnes by 2050 (versus 0.2 mega tonnes in 2021). The new report ‘Circular Solar’ explores the crucial need for a circular economic approach to solar PV in the EU identifying some key challenges and highlighting actions that businesses and policymakers could take to address them.
Within the EU, all electronic technologies are covered by the WEEE directive, which seeks to ensure e-waste does not end up in landfills. Although solar waste currently comprises only a small proportion of overall e-waste, it will aggregate as more and more PVs are deployed and reach the end of their 25-30 year lifespan in the coming decades. Because of the scale of the challenge, the economic, environmental, social and geopolitical benefits and opportunities linked to it are considerable. Through collaborative action, European businesses and policymakers can create a more sustainable, resilient and competitive solar industry reaping the benefits that will eventually emerge from global demand for circular economy technologies and strategies for solar PVs. If European business and policymakers do not capitalise on the opportunity, there is a risk they will cede this space to other markets and economies as has occurred with solar PV manufacturing.
Dr. Munib Amin, Head of Research & Technology and Managing Director, E.ON Group Innovation GmbH, said: “As the demand for critical raw materials in green energy technologies grows, our goal at E.ON Group Innovation is to stay ahead of the curve. This report is essential in highlighting the opportunities and barriers in circularity, offering a roadmap to address these challenges. By embracing innovative and collaborative approaches, we can effectively manage the environmental impacts of the anticipated surge in end-of-life PVs.”
Dr David Lott M.Phys FCA, CEO, IfM Engage, added: “This report highlights a crucial moment in the race towards net-zero by 2050. While solar PV features heavily in many nations’ plans to achieve their emission reduction goals, the sustainable management of its end of life is currently a major challenge. By focusing on circularity in the solar PV value chain, this excellent report underscores the need to balance innovation, sustainability, and economic growth, reminding us that the development environmentally friendly solutions must reflect on sustainability requirements throughout the entire life span of a product.”
Elliot Whittington, Chief Systems Change Office CISL, said: “Green energy deployment is and will be critical for our climate goals, but as this expands we must focus on circularity or risk creating new problems. Solar panel waste is projected to scale 1,000-fold by 2050—from 0.2 million tonnes to 200 million tonnes. This report sounds the alarm for European policymakers and sets out a plan: build recycling capacity now and harvest the competitive advantage of turning today’s panels into tomorrow’s resources”
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