Cigs Solar Panel Recycling

As stated above there are presently three different types of recycling process applied to solar pv panels which are physical thermal and chemical as illustrated in fig.

Cigs solar panel recycling.

A copper indium gallium selenide solar cell or cigs cell sometimes ci g s or cis cell is a thin film solar cell used to convert sunlight into electric power. Therefore the total cost of recycling in smelters thin film pv modules or scrap from large installations is 4 to 5 w. The projected cost of collecting and transporting thin film solar panels from dispersed installations is about 8 to 10 w 5. In the first solar recycling process warranty and end of life modules are collected to be shredded with manufacturing scrap.

But recently the company was able to recycle 96 creating a new silicon panel recycling record. On average about 90 of a silicon based pv module can be recycled per input weight by pv cycle. Download high res image 352kb. Unlike most thin film solar technologies cigs solar panels offer a potentially competitive efficiency to traditional silicon panels.

In cdte and cigs panels the materials are separated using a mainly chemical process. Cigs cells also use the toxic chemical cadmium. This process was originally based on the recycling of cadmium telluride cdte modules but will now be applied to the recycling of cigs modules. Because the material has a high absorption coefficient.

July 16 2020 source. Recycling of copper indium gallium diselenide cigs solar cell materials is important to ensure future supply of indium and gallium. Strategies for recycling of solar panels date. Pv cycle a nonprofit dedicated to solar panel take back and recycling collects several thousand tons of solar e waste across the european union each year according to director jan clyncke.

The booming solar industry is in the midst of an argument over which material will become dominant in the future for harvesting sunlight. It is manufactured by depositing a thin layer of copper indium gallium and selenium on glass or plastic backing along with electrodes on the front and back to collect current. From dispersed installations it is estimated to be 10 to 12 w. Our previous work includes recycling of selenium from cigs materials and a scoping study on high temperature chlorination for the separation of the remaining elements using different chlorination agents.

In the solar world them s fightin words. Doe national renewable energy laboratory summary. With efficiencies exceeding 20 measured in the laboratory there may be a continuing place for high efficiency cigs panels in the general solar panel market.