Holistic recycling of photovoltaic modules

The worldwide installed photovoltaic capacity exceeded the 1,000 GW mark in 2022. In Austria, installed capacity already exceeded 2 GW in 2020 and is experiencing high growth rates. Currently, there are still low return volumes for end-of-life (EoL) photovoltaic (PV) modules, but a strong increase is expected in the coming years, for which it is necessary to be prepared accordingly.

In the research project PVReValue, building on existing research results, the scientific and technical foundations are being laid for a complete processing and recycling process for PV modules. In order to develop a holistic process to achieve a recycling rate of more than 95 wt%, the following steps are considered:

1. Input characterization,
2. composite separation,
3. further processing,
4. output characterization, and
5. utilization of the output fractions

The innovative content lies on the one hand in the multi-stage compound separation, which causes a pre-fractionation of the fractions to be further processed, on the other hand in the complex combination of further processing methods for the fractions obtained. The high quality of the process already starts with the input characterization, whereby modules can be selectively charged and output qualities can be modeled and adjusted accordingly. The project thus generates high-quality recyclable secondary raw materials in the sense of a functioning circular economy.

The aim of the project is to develop a holistic process for PV modules in order to achieve a recycling rate of more than 95% by weight.

• Neumaier, L., De Biasio, M., Gassner, A., Eder, G. C., & Nigl, T. (2024). Comparative Analysis of Layer Thickness Measurement Methods for Photovoltaic Modules: A Comprehensive Study. Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202400219
• Martin De Biasio, Anika Gassner, Gabriele C. Eder, Lukas Neumaier (2024). Non-destructive thickness measurement of the individual layers of EoL photovoltaic modules to enable optimized layer separation. SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2024, National Harbor, Maryland, United States
• De Biasio, M., Arnold, T., Eder, G. C., & Neumaier, L. (2024). Detection of polymer residues on the glass surface of recycled EoL photovoltaic modules using near-infrared hyper-spectral imaging. In SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2024 (SPIE Commercial + Scientific Sensing and Imaging)
• Ottitsch, J., Thin, M., Wiesinger, G., Bleicher, F. (2023). Optimization of Mill Cutting Parameters for the Two-Step Milling Process in Photovoltaic Module Recycling; 39th Danubia-Adria Symp. Adv. Exp. Mech., Siofok 2023, 76-77, ISBN: 978-963-421-927-9
• Azizi, F., Nigl, T., (2024). Photovoltaics in Focus: Developments, Future Predictions and How the PVReValue Project aims to Recycle PV Modules, Recy&DepoTech, Leoben
• S. Feldbacher, D. Schwabl, F. Azizi, G. C. Eder, A. Gassner, T. Nigl, G. Oreski (2024). Separation of EoL PV modules using liquid-based methods to achieve better recycling quality, 32nd Leoben-Conference on Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol 13, Leoben
• Österreichische PV und Stromspeichertagung (2024), Diverse Projektpartner und LOI Partner
• ZSW PV-Recycling Workshop; Potential of Layer-by-Layer separation of PV modules during recycling, Feldbacher S., Azizi F., Nigl Th., Gassner A., Eder G., Ottitsch J., Oreski G.
• Thomas Nigl, Gabriele Eder (2023).Wohin mit Millionen Tonnen Solarschrott?, der Standard
• Gabriele Eder, Daniel Forstner (2023), Woran das Recycling von Photovoltaik-Anlagen scheitert, profil
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/pv-revalue