Cradle-to-Cradle Design of Photovoltaic Modules (C2C-PV)

The C2C-PV project aims to feed the materials used for solar modules into a sustainable cycle - in other words, cradle-to-cradle (C2C). A new design approach must therefore be developed for circular recycling. The aim of the project is not only to develop the design, but also to demonstrate that it is possible to manufacture a fully circularly recyclable module. The project is funded by the European Research Council.

Recycling is the biggest unresolved issue in the PV industry. Typically, modules end up in landfills at the end of their life.

Recycling is the largest unsolved problem of the photovoltaic (pv) industry. Today, the most common fate of a photovoltaic module at the end of its life is to end up as landfill. In the US alone, photovoltaic panels created 26,000 tons of waste in 2020, a number that is expected to grow to several million tons per year over the coming decade.

One major challenge is that by far not everything that is counted towards recycling yields materials that retain their initial material quality, another is that current recycling processes are too slow.

In contrast, C2C-PV will apply the principles of green engineering and techno-economics to create a photovoltaic module with minimal environmental impact over multiple generations and economic viability. Unique to this project is the design of a complex opto-electronic device from scratch according to these principles.

This could make renewable energy more sustainable in the future than any energy technology before.