Development and Techno-Economic Analysis of an Advanced Recycling Process for Photovoltaic Panels Enabling Polymer Separation and Recovery of Ag and Si

Antonio Rubino, Giuseppe Granata, Emanuela Moscardini, Ludovica Baldassari, Pietro Altimari, Luigi Toro and Francesca Pagnanelli
Additional contact information
Antonio Rubino: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Granata: Intelligen, Inc., 2326 Morse Avenue, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076, USA
Emanuela Moscardini: Eco Recycling Srl, Via di Vannina 88/94, 00156 Roma, Italy
Ludovica Baldassari: Eco Recycling Srl, Via di Vannina 88/94, 00156 Roma, Italy
Pietro Altimari: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Luigi Toro: Eco Recycling Srl, Via di Vannina 88/94, 00156 Roma, Italy
Francesca Pagnanelli: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: Photovoltaic panels were included in EU Directive as WEEE (Wastes of Electric and Electronic Equipment) requiring the implementation of dedicated collection schemes and end-of-life treatment ensuring targets in terms of recycling rate (80%) and recovery rate (85%). Photovoltaic panels are mainly made up of high-quality solar glass (70–90%), but also metals are present in the frames (Al), the cell (Si), and metallic contacts (Cu and Ag). According to the panel composition, about $72 per 100 kg of panels can be recovered by entirely recycling the panel metal content. The PhotoLife process for the treatment of end-of-life photovoltaic panels was demonstrated at pilot scale to recycle high value glass, Al and Cu scraps. A process upgrade is here reported allowing for polymer separation and Ag and Si recycling. By this advanced PhotoLife process, 82% recycling rate, 94% recovery rate, and 75% recoverable value were attained. Simulations demonstrated the economic feasibility of the process at processing capacity of 30,000 metric ton/y of end-of-life photovoltaic panels.

Keywords: end of life photovoltaic panels; polymers recycling; metals recycling; process simulation; SuperPro Designer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/24/6690/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/24/6690/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:24:p:6690-:d:464292

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().