The lifespan of the panels is a maximum of 25 years. About 90 percent of the material from the old panel can be reused for other purposes according to existing procedures. But scientists have now come up with a revolutionary procedure, with which basically nothing will be left of the old solar panel system. The massive glass and aluminium frame are easily removed during recycling. There are uses for both materials. But the problem is with the small conductive part in the middle of the panel, called „wafer “. It is sealed in polymer and contains silver, silicon, tin and zinc.

Instead of the method of disassembling the wafers, the researchers came up with a new solution. They just turn the wafers into scrap and add to them the chips created during the machining of aluminium. Everything is first pressed together into tablets - and then baked together into a puck. They will find use in the foundry industry.

Created by the team of CzechTrade Scandinavia

Source: https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/veda-skoly-vyzkumnici-z-brna-prisli-na-to-jak-recyklovat-solarni-panely-40449556