Renewables service provider RNWBL has partnered with US-based PV recycling firm Solarcycle to recycle and reuse solar panels under RNWBL’s commercial and industrial (C&I) operations.
The agreement expands on the service provider’s existing commitment to sustainability and to maximising system performance and minimising downtime for its customers through rapid repowering services.
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This year alone the operations and maintenance company aims to recycle more than 200,000 solar PV modules and provide a full end-to-end solution for its customers.
“RNWBL is excited to partner with Solarcycle to enhance our comprehensive turn-key solutions for project end-of-life solutions. RNBWL aims to ensure all of its customers’ needs are met throughout every phase of our projects,” said Daniel DePonte, CEO of RNWBL.
Both companies recently partnered in a repowering project for an undisclosed customer, with the modules of the projects transported to one of Solarcycle’s recycling facilities to process, recycle and reintegrate the solar panels into the supply chain.
Suvi Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Solarcycle, said: “C&I systems and their operators hold massive potential when repowering to help power a domestic circular economy. We are proud of this unique relationship with RNWBL that will help them meet their goals, and the sustainability goals of their customers.”
In a discussion with PV Tech Premium last year, Sharma explained how the cost of recycling was still higher than landfilling a solar PV module and how Solarcycle’s patented process recovers at least 95% of the value of the panel and returns it to the domestic supply chain.
Solar panel recycling partnerships
The PV recycling firm currently has facilities in the US states of Texas and Arizona, while it plans to open a solar glass manufacturing facility in the US state of Georgia in 2025. The company already secured a supply agreement with US solar manufacturer Silfab Solar to provide US-made solar glass to Silfab’s 1GW/1.2GW solar cell and module assembly plant in South Carolina.
This is the latest recycling agreement that Solarcycle has made so far, after securing partnerships with Korean-owned solar manufacturer Qcells in February 2024 for US-made module and with French power company EDF Renewables last year.
With more projects coming at the end of their lifespan, PV Tech Premium looked at the issue of recycling and end-of-life for solar panels last year.
