Government and producer responsibility organisations could support the solar industry by subsidising the cost of recycling the PV panels and helping to establish recyclers.

In this way, the organisers can help ensure that solar panel recycling becomes more accessible and economically viable.

It is illegal to dispose of solar panels in landfill sites, and finding cost-effective and efficient recycling methods is essential, says electronic waste management company Desco Electronic Recyclers director Giulio Airaga.

The cost to recycle a solar panel is about R200 to R250, while the average solar farm comprises 170 000 to 611 000 panels. The financial implications of recycling solar panels are, therefore, substantial, Desco points out.

"Recycling solar panels poses significant challenges, particularly in terms of collection and processing costs," he says.

Transporting solar panels to recycling facilities can be expensive owing to their bulk and weight. For example, transporting 1 000 t of solar panels requires 50 truckloads, each costing about R30 000, resulting in a total immediate cost of R1.5-million.

This cost can increase further, depending on the distance from the collection site to the recycling facility, he adds.

The recycling process is also costly and labour-intensive. Solar panels are large and bulky, requiring significant manual labour to feed them into the recycling machinery. The process involves multiple machines running continuously to handle the large volumes, further adding to the operational costs.

"The energy-intensive nature of recycling solar panels is compounded by the lack of reliable power supply in South Africa, presenting an ironic challenge given the renewable nature of the source material.

"As the solar energy sector continues to expand, the challenge of managing the costs associated with recycling end-of-life solar panels becomes increasingly pressing," he says.

Desco starts with dismantling the solar panels to extract the aluminium frame, junction box and wires, which are valuable components that can be reused or recycled.

The remaining PV material is then shredded for size reduction and milled to separate the glass, a crucial step in preparing the materials for further processing, explains Airaga.

The separated glass and aluminium are then sent to downstream customers who use these materials in the production of new, sustainable products, thereby promoting recycling and supporting the creation of a circular economy.

"Through our comprehensive approach to solar panel recycling, we aim to maximise the residual value of materials through efficient processes while minimising environmental risks by preventing landfill disposal.

"Our efforts contribute to the creation of downstream products such as aluminium, glass, polyvinyl fluoride, silicon, and refining materials," he concludes.