US solar recycling firm Solarcycle has signed a supply deal with US chemical producer Genesis Alkali to support the production of solar glass at its planned manufacturing facility in Georgia, US.
Solarcycle will buy naturally produced soda ash from Genesis Alkali, a key component in glass production. Genesis produces soda ash—also known as sodium carbonate—under the brand Ecosoda at its mining facility in Wyoming.
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The company said naturally produced soda ash is around 37% less greenhouse gas intensive than a synthetically produced product and that its Ecosoda is even less intensive because of its “proprietary solution mining and processing technology.”
Solarcycle announced its solar glass production facility in February 2024, where it will produce new glass from recycled products in what the firm called a “first of its kind” process. The soda ash will be mixed with the recycled glass in the manufacturing process, Solarcycle said.
Since announcing the planned facility, Solarcycle has signed glass supply deals with US solar manufacturer Silfab, Canadian manufacturer Heliene and the US arm of Chinese solar producer Runergy.
“Producing high-performance solar glass in Cedartown, Georgia will help America re-shore a critical piece of the solar supply chain. It will also reduce trade risk, promote innovation, and help solar manufacturers looking to benefit from domestic content clean energy tax credits,” said Suvi Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Solarcycle. “Our agreement with Genesis Alkali is a key part of onshoring the supply chain to build solar in the US.”
Ed Flynn, president of Genesis Alkali, said the firm would address “growing demand from soda ash customers around the world who are looking to reduce their Scope 3 GHG emissions.”
PV Tech published a guest blog earlier this year from Michael Parr, CEO of the Ultra Low Carbon Solar Alliance, which discussed the role that glass, inverter, backsheet and other non-silicon solar manufacturing components are playing in the US’ efforts to onshore its solar supply chain.
Founded in 2022, Solarcycle is predominantly a solar module recycling firm. It has inked end-of-life recycling agreements with some of the biggest module manufacturers in the US market including Hanwha Qcells and Canadian Solar.
Sharma told PV Tech Premium about its recycling processes, which seek to salvage the valuable silver and other metals from solar panels to improve the economic case for module recycling, as well as salvaging bulk materials like glass and aluminium.
