China created the solar energy panel definitive, an announcement that has left the world in suspense and even displaces the material that converts ‘everything’ into a photovoltaic panel. This energy resource is the most popular when it comes to renewable energy sources and that is precisely why specialized companies and experts have over the years explored ways to bring more efficient components to the market.
Despite the benefits that solar panels offer, such as the production of renewable and clean energy, they always come with a question: what is done with them when they reach their useful life? This lasts between two and three decades, after which the question arises of what to do with the waste, since no full or profitable recycling of its materials had been achieved so far.
Talking about recycling traditional solar panels seemed impossible because they have some limitations. Although the aluminum frame can be reused, the protective glass is 95% recyclable and the silicon wafers are separated by heat treatment at 500ºC. China has created the definitive panel that allows the recycling of these solar energy devices.
China puts an end to the biggest photovoltaic problem with its definitive solar panels
China has provided a solution to the biggest problem of silicon photovoltaics through development 100% recycled panels. The Chinese company Trina Solar has highlighted a before and after in the photovoltaic industry with the the world’s first fully recycled silicon solar panel. This product has shown that it is possible to reuse solar panels without compromising their efficiency.
As we mentioned earlier, a conventional panel usually has a lifespan of between two and three decades before significantly deteriorating. The problem with recycling it is that it cannot be done completely or its restoration is too expensive. Trina Solar has the solution to this problem: first fully recycled crystalline silicon photovoltaic panel.
The key to this article lies in the 37 recycling technologies patented by the researchers. They enable the separation and subsequent reuse of silicon, aluminum, glass and even silver from discarded modules to ‘make’ a new functional and equally efficient panel. The techniques include internally developed release agents, etching technologies to dissolve unwanted materials and systems to extract silver, one of the problematic materials, through wet treatments.
China presents the definitive solar panel: it puts an end to the most serious problem of this device
Researchers have managed to reuse all the valuable elements of disused solar panels, an achievement in sustainable terms and an important step for the industry. It should be noted that the fully recycled solar panel from Trina Solar is from n-type with TOPcon cells (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts), one of the most popular technologies in silicon panels.
Despite being a special construction, it houses a higher power of 645 watts and a conversion efficiency of 20.7%, a figure not far removed from traditional solar panels, but still below the 25% achieved by the panels reaches. TOPCon fresh from the factory or 27% perovskite cells.
With this information, Trina Solar has verified that reuse of the most valuable materials from discarded solar panels is possible, without compromising the efficiency and power of the new panel. This is a relevant milestone considering that a large number of countries demand 80% of the materials in the economy solar energy panel can be recycled.
It also means a big step forward Chinawhich now the solar energy panel final. The ability to recycle even surpasses the appearance of the solar panel with heating and air conditioning.