So the drive to install and implement solar panel systems onto our roofs and the utility grid system is in full force. And the speed is picking up. In France alone, 50,000 tons of potential waste is generated every year in the form of solar panels. Well, the average life span of the current design of solar panels is about 20 years. That means that in a short 20 years from now, those solar panels will need to go somewhere, and the landfill is not where we want them to end up. The only honest solution is to have them recycled. The current trend for recycling old solar panels is to divide the components of glass (panel cover) and aluminum (framing) to be recycled, while the remaining silicon, silver and tin are discarded as the return on selling these final 3 materials is not cost-effective for recycling centers.

The private sector is of course working on ways to maximize the total recovery of a given solar panel, but progress is slow and may not be to the benefit for private industry. It may very well be up to government entities to step in and take the reigns of recycling as part of their national agendas. The benefit of government control is that the energy created for its citizens is used by its citizens. Therefore, it is in their best interest to maintain this social sustainability and energy autonomy without 3rd party direction or limitations. Providing energy to the citizens should be a priority of governments the world throughout. It is, as they say, a no-brainer.

In time those solar panels will reach the end of their life-cycle, something on a massive scale will need to happen. It is in the best interest for a society to have police services, firefighter/paramedic services and water municipalities. Energy is as necessary and should be included with these fundamental services to the general public. Recycling is just another component of the energy generation cycle. We have less than 20 years to get the system in place. And the clock is ticking…..

Solar on!

Mario @ Your Solar Link