The typical American home requires 15 to 25 solar panels to address 100% of its energy needs, and millions of households are making the switch. But as this solar revolution accelerates, a critical question emerges: What happens to these millions of panels when they reach the end of their 25- to 30-year lifespan?
Solar power has become the driving force of the global energy transition. In 2024 alone, the world installed a record-breaking 597 gigawatts of solar capacity—a 33% increase over 2023, which brought global solar installations to over 1.6 terawatts. To put this growth in perspective, solar panels are now being installed at a pace that would have seemed impossible just a decade ago, with predictions that the world could be installing one terawatt of solar annually by 2030—enough energy to power the state of California for a week-and-a-half.
The Coming Wave of Solar Waste
Unlike the relatively modest recycling needs of today, we’re heading toward a tsunami of solar panel waste. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) projects that global solar panel waste could reach 78 million tons by 2050, equivalent to disposing of more than 4 billion of today’s panels. In the United States alone, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates recyclers will need to process one million tons of solar panel waste by 2030 and up to 10 million tons by 2050.
Photovoltaic panel recycling isn’t just an environmental challenge; it’s a massive economic opportunity. IRENA estimates that recovered materials from recycled panels could be worth $450 million globally by 2030, growing to $15 billion by 2050. These materials could supply enough resources to manufacture 2 billion new panels without mining new raw materials.
Why Solar Panel Recycling Matters
Solar panels aren’t just glass and metal. While about 75% of a panel’s weight is recyclable glass, panels also contain valuable materials, including silicon, silver, copper, aluminum, and sometimes rare elements such as tellurium and indium. More concerning, some panels contain potentially hazardous materials, such as cadmium and lead, that shouldn’t end up in landfills.
“In a clean energy industry, we can’t advocate for clean energy while choosing to landfill and not properly recycle solar panels,” explained Brad Henderson, CEO of Solar Panel Recycling, a company that has processed hundreds of thousands of panels.
The good news? Modern recycling technologies can now recover up to 95% of materials from silicon-based panels and up to 98% from thin-film panels. It is now the case that yesterday’s solar installations can be recycled to provide the raw materials for tomorrow’s panels.
Recycling Infrastructure Takes Shape
The solar recycling industry is rapidly maturing. The global solar panel recycling market is projected to grow from $384.4 million in 2025 to $548 million by 2030. Early adoptors will eventually begin panel retirements and the implementation of more stringent photovoltaic panel recovery regulations will keep those older systems out of landfills.
The companies scaling up operations across the country include:
- SOLARCYCLE has processed nearly 500,000 panels and is on track to recycle one million panels by the end of 2025. The company has partnerships with over 90 energy companies and operates advanced facilities that can extract high-purity materials.
- Solar Panel Recycling (SPR), which has facilities in North Carolina and Georgia, offers full decommissioning, transportation, and compliance management services.
- First Solar has been operating a comprehensive recycling program for its thin-film panels for over a decade, achieving some of the highest material recovery rates in the industry.
New facilities are opening regularly, with many nations adding end-of-use options for used panels. In October 2024, Australia’s Pan Pacific plant opened with the capacity to process 240,000 panels annually.
Regulations Drive Responsible Disposal
Policy makers are trying to get ahead of the waste curve. Europe leads the way with the first-of-its-kind Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive that requires solar panel manufacturers to finance collection and recycling costs for panels sold in European markets.
In the United States, regulations are emerging state by state:
- California was the first state to establish solar-specific recycling regulations, which require comprehensive reporting by companies that handle more than 200 pounds of used panels.
- North Carolina will require decommissioning plans for solar projects larger than 2 megawatts starting November 1, 2025.
- Twenty-nine states currently have decommissioning and recycling policies for utility-scale solar projects.
These regulations ensure that solar project developers plan for end-of-life management from Day One, which can prevent future environmental problems.
How Solar Panel Recycling Works
Modern solar panel recycling involves a process that separates and purifies the different materials used in a panel:
- Disassembly: Aluminum frames and junction boxes are removed for standard metal recycling
- Glass separation: The glass cover, which accounts for 75% of panel weight, is separated and cleaned for reuse
- Laminate processing: High-temperature or chemical processes separate the polymer layers that encapsulate the solar cells
- Cell recovery: Silicon solar cells are extracted and can often be reused directly in new panels
- Metal extraction: Copper wiring, silver contacts, and other valuable metals are recovered through specialized processes
As recovered materials flow back into manufacturing supply chains, there will be a reduced need for virgin materials. Solar energy can be self-sustaining and by mid-century could eliminate the need for new raw materials.
Preparing for Residential Solar Recycling
While most current recycling efforts focus on utility-scale installations, residential solar recycling is on the horizon. SEIA and SPR launched a pilot program on January 1, 2025, in Mecklenburg County, N.C., the first drop-off program for residential solar panels.
For homeowners with aging solar systems, here’s what you should know:
- Don’t throw panels in the trash: Solar panels often contain materials that shouldn’t go to landfills
- Check with your installer: Many solar installers are developing take-back programs
- Look for certified recyclers: Choose recyclers certified under standards like SERI’s R2 Standard or the e-Stewards standard
- Plan ahead: Include end-of-life costs in your solar investment planning
The Economic Promise of Solar Recycling
Solar panel recycling isn’t just about environmental responsibility; it’s also becoming a good business practice. Australia’s government projects that the total material value from end-of-life solar panels could exceed $1 billion by 2033, while global projections suggest the industry could create thousands of green jobs.
As panel prices continue to fall and solar installations continue to grow, the recycling industry expects that recycling will become increasingly profitable. Some companies are already signing long-term contracts to supply recycled materials to solar manufacturers, creating dedicated supply chains for secondary materials.
Recycling Is Ready
Solar energy is critical to addressing climate change, but its environmental benefits depend on responsible end-of-life management. The good news? The infrastructure, technology, and economic incentives for comprehensive solar panel recycling are rapidly falling into place.
As we race toward a clean energy future powered by unprecedented solar growth, building a robust recycling industry today ensures that tomorrow’s clean energy remains truly clean from cradle to grave. For environmentally conscious consumers, solar installations that include recycling commitments make the renewable energy choice even more beneficial for both people and nature.
Want to find recycling options in your area? Use Earth911’s recycling search to find electronics recyclers near you and inquire about their capabilities for recycling solar panels.
Editor’s note: Originally published on April 6, 2017, this article was most recently updated in July 2025.
