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project info
Start date: 1 September 2024
End date: 31 August 2027
funding
Fund: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Total budget: 1 826 346,50 €
EU contribution: 511 377,02 € (28%)
programme
Programming period: 2021-2027
European Commission Topic
European Commission Topic

Circular processing of solar panels

In the search for sustainable energy, many companies and individuals choose solar panels. Solar panels have a lifespan of about 30 years before they are discarded. They consist of a sandwich of different materials, including glass, silicon solar cells and encapsulant that serves as glue for the different layers. Currently, end-of-life processing consists of removing the aluminum frame and fragmenting the panels. Only low-grade material flows are created. Due to the enormous increase in the amount of solar panels that have already been installed and will be installed in the coming years, it is vital to develop an improved processing process for solar panels, in which as many parts as possible are reused or the panels are repaired to extend their lifespan. In this project, Solarge, Mirec and TNO are joining forces to develop a new, thermo-mechanical processing process for solar panels.

Flag of Netherlands  Midden-Limburg, Netherlands