Demanufacturing photovoltaic panels: Comparison of end-of-life treatment strategies for improved resource recovery

Predictive models to forecast the volume and material composition of end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) panels indicate that substantial material resources can potentially be recovered from silicon based PV panels in the next decades. The technical feasibility of selective mechanical delamination through milling and cleaving was experimentally studied. The achievable material recovery results are compared to current practices in end-of-life treatment, demonstrating a substantial potential to improve resource preservation. A comparative LCA study allows to conclude that a well-designed demanufacturing strategy based on selective delamination can substantially reduce the environmental impact associated with end-of-life processing of PV panels. The improved silver recovery offers perspectives for the economic viability of the described demanufacturing strategy.