The New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials (Liten) branch of the French Commission for Alternative Energy and Atomic Energy claims to have developed a low-pollution, low-energy layering process that can recycle photovoltaic modules at the end of their life cycle.
The technology involves using diamond wirelessly cut photovoltaic cells to separate the glass fronts of the modules from the polymer-based negatives. "Using this new process, it took only half an hour to separate the two surfaces of a typical 1-square-meter panel (only a few hundred microns apart)," the scientists explained. "The recycled glass can then be recycled using a separate process."
Hydrometallurgy can also be used to separate and recover various metals from the powder produced during the wiring process, the French scientists added.
A European project will soon start developing the ability to process multiple components per hour. "The device will use a wound diamond wire so that its wear can be monitored," the institute said. "Solutions to cool the polymer to improve its cutting performance are also being investigated."
CEA Tech says that because pv modules have a useful life of about 30 years, more than 10 million tons of scrap or defective products should be abolished in Europe by 2025.
Today, the most widely used recycling solution is to crush components and use them as backfill for the construction industry. Cea-liten experts argue that thermal technologies are still very expensive in terms of energy costs and harmful to the environment. He believes there is an urgent need to find new recycling solutions to recycle metals such as silicon, silver and copper. (Polaris Solar Pv Grid)