Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Environment and Ecology, Topic: Waste Management, Issue: Solar waste
Context: Solar waste produced by India is expected to reach 600 kt by 2030
Solar waste:
- Manufacturing waste comprises scrap and waste from failed quality tests.
- Field waste includes waste from transporting, handling, damage during operation, and end-of-life modules.
Two broad methods of recycling solar panels:
- Conventional recycling involves mechanical processes but cannot recover valuable materials like silver and silicon.
- High-value recycling uses mechanical, chemical, and thermal processes to recover valuable materials like silver and silicon.
The way ahead
- Establish a comprehensive database of installed solar capacity to estimate future solar waste.
- Incentivize recyclers and stakeholders to effectively manage solar waste.
- Focus on creating a market for solar recycling to address the immediate and future waste issues.
