What is a solar module disassembly line?

Developed by Japanese PV equipment provider NPC Incorporated, the solar module disassembly line is claimed to enable the reuse of frames, junction boxes, intact broken glass, solar cells and EVA sheets. The module disassembyl line. Image: NPC Incorporated

How to recycle discarded solar panels?

We provide intermediate treatment service to recycle discarded solar panels. At Matsuyama Factory in Ehime, Japan, an automatic solar panel disassembly line is installed. The line separates glass from other materials without crushing, applying the “separation method using heated blade,” our own technology.

Can I DIY solar panel removal?

DIY solar panel removal is not for the faint of heart and requires a lot of expertise and potentially unavoidable certifications. If you own your own system, it is possible to go this route, but remember that if something were to go wrong, you would be the one holding the bag.

How does envie use disassembly equipment to dismantle PV panels?

“Envie will utilize our disassembly equipment to dismantle PV panels and then cooperate with Rosi, a French company that developed recycling processes allowing to separate and recover metals such as silver and high purity silicon from the PV cells,” it further explained.

Do solar panels need to be processed?

In discarding solar panels, proper processing is required, as they include toxic materials like lead. What is the separation method using a heated blade? In this method, a blade heated to 300℃ melts EVA layer to separate glass from other materials.

Can solar panels be recycled?

Solar panels should be treated carefully as they may cause electric shock. Awareness of such risk, however, is still very low. We started to develop solar panel recycling technology in 2013, to solve this problem. Recycling glass, weight of which takes around 70 to 80 percent of a panel, is impossible if there are metals.