Over the past two decades, the global energy landscape has undergone a significant transformation, marked by a strong pivot toward renewable energy sources. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the global renewable energy capacity reached over 3,700 GW by the end of 2024, with solar photovoltaic (PV) contributing the most at approximately 1,450 GW (Refer figure 1). This surge is driven by mounting concerns over climate change, depleting fossil fuel reserves, and global commitments such as the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
India, the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has emerged as a front-runner in the global clean energy transition. As of April 2025, India has achieved over 107 GW of installed solar PV capacity, progressing rapidly toward its target of 280 GW solar capacity by 2030.
This growth is supported by favourable policies such as the National Solar Mission, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and international partnerships under the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Lifespan and Lifecycle of Major Renewable Systems
While renewable technologies are often celebrated for their low operational carbon footprints, their life cycle impacts — especially during the decommissioning phase — are frequently overlooked. Most renewable systems, particularly solar panels, have a technical lifespan of 25 to 30 years. After this period, their efficiency drops below commercially viable levels (typically below 80%), necessitating their replacement or repurposing.
Other renewable systems like wind turbines (20–25 years), lithium-ion batteries (8–10 years), and biomass boilers (15–20 years) also follow similar end-of-life trajectories. However, solar panels pose a unique challenge due to their scale of deployment and the complexity of their materials.
The ironic dilemma: Renewable energy and non-renewable waste
The growing deployment of renewable energy systems, especially solar PV, brings forth an ironic paradox: technologies developed to reduce environmental harm are themselves becoming emerging sources of electronic and hazardous waste. IRENA estimates that the world could face over 78 million tonnes of cumulative solar panel waste by 2050 — a substantial portion of which may come from developing nations like India, which currently lack robust solar waste management frameworks.
This situation creates a perverse environmental outcome where end-of-life renewable systems, if not responsibly handled, can contribute to:
- Land pollution through dumping of non-biodegradable materials.
- Soil and water contamination due to leaching of heavy metals.
- Air pollution from burning of composite materials and polymers.
- Loss of valuable resources through landfilling instead of recovery.
Need for Solar Panel Waste Management
Solar panels contain numerous valuable and toxic materials that must be either recovered or safely disposed of (Refer figure 4):
From both economic and environmental standpoints, efficient recycling and recovery of these materials offer multiple benefits:
- Reduced mining demand for rare and finite metals like silver, indium, tellurium.
- Prevention of environmental contamination from hazardous materials.
- Job creation and economic opportunities through the development of a solar recycling industry.
- Energy savings, as recycling aluminium or silicon consumes significantly less energy than producing virgin material.
Despite these clear advantages, India currently lacks dedicated policies, infrastructure, and awareness to deal with solar panel waste. Most decommissioned panels either end up in landfills or are handled by the informal sector under unsafe conditions, leading to environmental degradation and health risks.
Hence, managing solar panel waste effectively is not just an environmental imperative but also an opportunity for circular economy integration, resource conservation, and green entrepreneurship — particularly relevant for a country like India that aspires to be a global leader in renewable energy.
The Solar Panel Recycling Process
Recycling solar panels involves several steps to ensure that as many materials as possible are recovered and reused (Refer figure 5).
Collection and transportation
The first step in the recycling process is the collection of end-of-life panels. These panels are then transported to specialized recycling facilities. Efficient logistics and transportation systems are essential to minimise the carbon footprint associated with the recycling process.
Dismantling and sorting
At the recycling facility, panels are dismantled to separate different components. This typically involves:
- Removing the aluminium frame: The frame is detached and sent for metal recycling. Aluminium is a valuable material that can be recycled indefinitely without losing its properties, making it a critical component of recycling.
- Separation of the glass: The glass, which makes up a significant portion of the panel, is separated and cleaned for reuse. Recycled glass can be used in various applications, including new solar panels, construction materials, and consumer products.
Thermal processing
Thermal processing involves heating the solar cells to high temperatures to remove the encapsulate material (usually a type of plastic) that binds the cells together. This step allows for the extraction of pure silicon and other metals. The use of thermal processing ensures that materials are separated efficiently, with minimal contamination.
Chemical processing
Chemical treatments are used to recover valuable materials like silver and copper from the remaining components. This involves using acids and other chemicals to dissolve the metals, which are then precipitated and purified. Chemical processing techniques are continually being improved to increase recovery rates and reduce environmental impact.
Refining and reuse
The final step is refining the recovered materials to produce raw materials that can be used to manufacture new products, including new solar panels. For instance, the silicon recovered from old panels can be purified and used to produce new photovoltaic cells. This step closes the loop in the recycling process, ensuring that materials are returned to the production cycle.
Root Cause Analysis of Unsatisfactory Waste Management
In this section we will see the causes of unsatisfactory waste management.
Lack of infrastructure, policy, and awareness
Despite India’s rapid expansion in solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, the country remains critically underprepared to manage the inevitable surge in solar panel waste that will arise over the coming decades. Unlike the structured frameworks for managing traditional electronic waste (e-waste), the solar sector currently operates in a regulatory vacuum when it comes to the End-of-Life (EoL) phase of PV modules.
There is no dedicated national policy that addresses the unique characteristics and hazards of solar panel waste. While the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 offer a general framework for electronic waste, they do not explicitly cover PV modules, leaving a grey area in terms of Responsibility, Compliance, and Enforcement (RCE).
Moreover, there is no Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandate for solar manufacturers in India, unlike the policies adopted in the European Union under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, where producers are required to take back and recycle end-of-life panels.
This lack of regulatory clarity is compounded by the absence of recycling infrastructure. As of 2025, India has no large-scale operational PV recycling facilities, and most collection centres are ill-equipped to handle the specialized processes needed for material recovery from PV modules, such as glass delamination, semiconductor extraction, and chemical treatment.
Furthermore, awareness among consumers, installers, and even solar developers is extremely low. Most stakeholders lack knowledge of safe disposal practices, recycling options (if any), and the environmental consequences of poor waste management. This knowledge gap further weakens the possibility of creating a closed-loop system or a circular economy around solar technologies.
Current End-of-Life (EoL) handling practices
In the absence of regulation and infrastructure, solar panel disposal in India is largely informal and unscientific. The most common EoL pathways currently include:
- Landfilling: Decommissioned panels are often dumped in general landfills, where their glass and polymer content degrade extremely slowly, and toxic elements like lead, cadmium, and antimony may leach into the soil and groundwater.
- Incineration: In some instances, panels are incinerated along with other municipal or industrial waste. This process not only destroys valuable recoverable materials like silver and aluminium but also emits toxic gases from burned plastics and encapsulants, such as Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA).
- Informal sector handling: Informal recyclers, who also dominate India’s general e-waste processing, often use primitive methods such as open burning, acid leaching, or mechanical breakage without proper safety gear. This results in severe environmental contamination and health hazards for workers.
These practices highlight a disconnect between the growth of the solar sector and its sustainable governance, exposing a serious blind spot in India’s clean energy mission.
Projected Solar Waste Volume
The magnitude of the problem becomes more apparent when viewed through future waste projections.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and International Energy Agency – Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS):
- Globally, solar PV waste is projected to reach 78 million tonnes by 2050. (Refer figure 5)
- India alone is expected to generate over 200,000 tonnes (200 kilo tonnes) of cumulative solar waste by 2030.
- This number is projected to surge to 1.8 million tonnes by 2050, assuming the current trajectory of solar expansion under India’s National Solar Mission and energy transition goals.
Additionally, NITI Aayog in its policy discussions and white papers has flagged the lack of preparedness in dealing with this volume of waste, noting that most existing waste management systems will be overwhelmed if appropriate mechanisms are not instituted promptly.
These statistics serve as a wake-up call, emphasizing that without intervention, the volume of solar waste may outpace the systems designed to handle it.
Environmental and Economic Implications
Let us understand the environmental and economic implication of improper waste management of solar PV panels.
Environmental consequences
- Soil and water contamination: Toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, and tin used in panel soldering or thin-film technologies can leach from broken panels into the soil and eventually into groundwater.
- Air pollution: Burning of polymers releases dioxins and furans, which are highly carcinogenic.
- Microplastic waste: The breakdown of plastic backsheets can contribute to long-term microplastic pollution.
- Loss of biodiversity: Improper dumping of large panels in landfills can lead to habitat disruption and localized ecosystem damage.
Economic impacts
- Loss of recoverable resources: IRENA estimates that by 2050, the value of recoverable materials from global PV waste could exceed USD 15 billion, including aluminium, silver, copper, and glass. India stands to lose its share of this economic opportunity without a recycling framework.
- Import burden: Recycling materials such as silicon, silver, and indium could reduce dependence on costly imports for the solar manufacturing sector.
- Job loss or risk: While a formal solar recycling industry could generate thousands of green jobs, its absence keeps workers trapped in hazardous informal work with no legal protections or healthcare access.
- Legal and compliance risks: As international trade increasingly emphasizes green supply chains and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), India’s solar exports and project financing may face compliance penalties if waste handling remains unregulated.
Global Best Practices & Technological Innovations
As the world faces the growing challenge of managing solar panel waste, several countries and organizations have emerged as pioneers in establishing effective recycling infrastructures and technological innovations. This section analyses global practices, regulatory frameworks, and cutting-edge recycling technologies that can guide India’s approach.
Leading countries in solar panel recycling
European Union (EU)
- Directive: The EU mandates solar panel recycling under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
- Compliance: Producers are legally required to finance the collection, treatment, and recycling of PhotoVoltaic (PV) modules.
- Infrastructure: Countries like Germany and France have established dedicated recycling facilities such as Veolia’s plant in Rousset, France, which can recycle 95% of panel materials.
- Best practice: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) effectively integrates manufacturers into the waste management lifecycle.
Japan
- Regulations: Japan includes PV modules under the Home Appliance Recycling Law.
- Technology focus: Emphasises thermal and chemical delamination to separate EVA encapsulant.
- Research & innovation: Ongoing R&D in laser ablation and electrochemical recovery for silver and rare metals.
- Best practice: Collaboration between academia, government, and industry accelerates innovation.
United States
- Voluntary recycling programs: No federal mandates; however, states like California lead with pilot EPR schemes.
- Notable companies: First Solar operates one of the most advanced in-house recycling systems for thin-film panels (CdTe), recovering up to 90% of semiconductor materials.
- Innovation: Active research on mechanical, thermal, and chemical recycling hybrids.
- Best Practice: Industry-driven initiatives fill regulatory gaps and foster innovation.
- Insight: A hybrid approach combining mechanical and chemical treatments is considered the most scalable and cost-effective solution.
Conclusion
India’s solar dream risks turning into an environmental liability if the issue of end-of-life solar panel management is not addressed through robust policy, infrastructure development, public awareness, and industry accountability. The current state of affairs — characterised by informal handling, environmental degradation, and missed economic opportunities — demands immediate strategic intervention to ensure that the country’s transition to green energy does not generate a new class of ‘green waste’ crisis.
Divyanshu Arora obtained B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering. He has a specialisation in Renewable Energy from Coursera.com. He also has earned specialisations in Data Analytics, Fintech, IT Support and Machine Learning from Coursera. Embracing the digital landscape, he has completed the Google Digital Garage’s Digital Marketing Certificate, equipping himself with the tools to thrive in the online realm.
Dr. Rajesh Kumar Arora holds a Master of Engineering (ME) degree in Electrical Engineering. He completed his PhD in Grounding System Design from UPES, Dehradun. With a long experience gathered from organisations like Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) and Delhi Transco Limited (DTL), presently he is working in D&E (Design and Engineering) Department of DTL. His research interests include high voltage technology, grounding system, protection system, computer application and power distribution automation.
