Environmentally Sustainable Recycling of Photovoltaic Panels Laminated with Soft Polysiloxane Gels: Promoting the Circular Economy and Reducing the Carbon Footprint

Vladislav Poulek (), Vaclav Beranek, Martin Kozelka and Tomas Finsterle
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Vladislav Poulek: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic
Vaclav Beranek: Faculty of Engineering, Czech University of Life Sciences, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic
Martin Kozelka: Faculty of Engineering, Czech University of Life Sciences, 16500 Prague, Czech Republic
Tomas Finsterle: Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University, 16000 Prague, Czech Republic

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-12

Abstract: This article presents an innovative and highly sustainable method for recycling photovoltaic (PV) panels laminated with very soft polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gels. This approach eliminates energy-intensive and environmentally harmful processes such as burning and chemical etching due to simple and clean mechanical delamination at room temperature via polyethylene wedges. This technology significantly contributes to environmental sustainability by facilitating the direct reuse of materials, reducing the amount of hazardous waste, and minimizing energy consumption during recycling. PDMS panels achieve extremely low annual degradation rates (0.15–0.22%) and excellent recycling efficiencies (95–98%) compared to conventional EVA/POE laminated panels, with up to 81% of the panel weight being directly reused. This has led to a drastic reduction in the overall carbon footprint and is in line with the principles of circular economy and sustainable development goals (SDGs). The synergistic combination of long service life and efficient end-of-life processing makes this technology a cornerstone of sustainability in the photovoltaic industry. It addresses pressing environmental and socioeconomic challenges by promoting resource efficiency, reducing photovoltaic waste by up to 114 times, and enabling policies and practices that support the global energy transition.

Keywords: photovoltaic panels; low degradation; recycling; circular economy; carbon footprint (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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