The Only True Circular Solution for Solar Panels Is Here!
As the United Kingdom continues its transition towards a greener future, the solar industry faces an urgent challenge – what happens to solar panels when they reach the end of their life cycle? With the country’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan aiming for 45-47 GW of solar capacity, the demand for solar panels is skyrocketing. However, alongside this growth comes an overlooked problem: solar panel waste and the need for an effective solar panel recycle solution.
By 2025, over one million tonnes of photovoltaic (PV) modules are expected to require recycling across Europe. Despite the widespread adoption of solar technology, the UK currently lacks the necessary infrastructure to handle solar panel waste at scale. Without proper recycling solutions, many solar panels risk being stockpiled, illegally exported, or sent to landfill, leading to environmental damage and the loss of valuable materials such as silicon, silver, copper, and glass.
In response to this growing crisis, Waste Experts, City Electrical Factors (CEF), and ROSI have joined forces to launch a revolutionary nationwide collection and treatment solution for solar panel recycling. This exclusive partnership combines the expertise of three industry leaders to build a circular economy for solar panels, ensuring that materials from retired modules can be reclaimed and reintegrated into the production cycle.
This collaboration not only provides a sustainable solution for the renewable energy sector but also sets a new benchmark for waste management and recycling efficiency. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, solar panel recycle solutions are now more accessible and environmentally responsible than ever before.
A Partnership Set to Transform the Solar Industry
This partnership brings together three key players, each with a distinct role in ensuring the successful implementation of solar panel recycling across the UK.
Waste Experts: Driving Sustainable Waste Management
As a leading specialist in electronic and hazardous waste recycling, Waste Experts has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and circular economy solutions. Recognising the urgent need for a structured solar panel waste recycling system, we have taken the lead in creating a nationwide collection network.
Shaun Donaghey, Managing Director of Waste Experts, highlighted the importance of collaboration in tackling the growing challenge of solar panel waste: “Our collaboration highlights the vital role of global partnerships in tackling sustainability challenges. With our nationwide collection service and ROSI’s cutting-edge recycling processes, we’re not just addressing the immediate issue of end-of-life solar panel waste – we’re establishing a framework for responsible lifecycle management that sets a new benchmark for the renewable energy sector.”
Through this initiative, Waste Experts will ensure the safe and compliant transportation of end-of-life solar panels, coordinating logistics to facilitate the movement of discarded modules to ROSI’s advanced recycling facility. Their extensive experience in waste handling guarantees that all processes align with UK environmental laws and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
City Electrical Factors (CEF): Enabling Nationwide Accessibility
As one of the UK’s largest distributors of electrical supplies, CEF’s involvement ensures that businesses, contractors, and individuals can easily access solar panel recycling services. With a vast network of branches across the country.
Mike Gadd, Director of Renewables at CEF, explained how this initiative benefits CEF customers: “Waste Experts provide CEF customers with a nationwide solution to manage their carbon footprint by considering a product’s full lifecycle and ensuring responsible end-of-life treatment. By recovering valuable materials and minimising landfill waste, we are driving long-term sustainability in clean energy and beyond.”
This integration within the supply chain bridges the gap between solar installation and responsible recycling, creating a seamless transition between purchasing new panels and ensuring old ones are sustainably processed. By embedding recycling within its business model, CEF is actively contributing to the long-term sustainability of the UK’s clean energy industry.
ROSI: Pioneering Advanced Solar Panel Recycling
French company ROSI is at the forefront of innovative recycling technologies, offering a cutting-edge approach to solar panel material recovery. Unlike traditional recycling methods, which often result in downcycling or the loss of high-value materials, ROSI’s state-of-the-art facility employs advanced thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes to extract high-purity silicon, silver, copper, aluminium, and glass from decommissioned solar panels.
“We are thrilled to partner with Waste Experts and CEF, leading figures in sustainable waste management in the UK. Their dedication to diverting waste from landfills and driving a circular economy perfectly aligns with our vision. This collaboration allows us to introduce our advanced solar panel recycling solutions to the UK market, ensuring responsible end-of-life management for photovoltaic modules,” said Yun Luo, President and Cofounder of ROSI.
By recovering up to 95% of a PV module’s value, ROSI’s techniques drastically reduce reliance on virgin materials, making the solar industry more sustainable. In addition, their process ensures that less than 1% of waste is sent to landfill, making it one of the most efficient recycling systems in the world.
How This Partnership is Redefining Solar Panel Recycling
The collaboration between Waste Experts, CEF, and ROSI introduces a transformative approach to the UK’s solar panel waste crisis.
Traditionally, discarded solar panels have been either stockpiled or improperly disposed of due to a lack of specialist recycling infrastructure. This has resulted in significant environmental and economic losses, as materials that could be reused often end up in landfill or incinerators.
Through this new nationwide recycling programme, every component of a solar panel – from glass and silicon to precious metals like silver and copper – can be recovered and reintroduced into manufacturing. This not only reduces the environmental impact of solar waste but also strengthens the UK’s supply chain for renewable energy components.
By integrating recycling at the end of a solar panel’s life cycle, this initiative ensures that the solar industry remains sustainable. The process is simple and efficient, offering both businesses and individuals an easy way to participate in responsible solar panel recycling. Customers can schedule a collection service through Waste Experts, making recycling more accessible than ever.
This programme not only benefits the environment but also helps businesses meet sustainability targets. As more companies and homeowners install solar systems, the ability to responsibly manage solar waste will become a crucial part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
The Environmental and Economic Benefits of Solar Panel Recycling
The impact of this innovative recycling model extends far beyond waste reduction. It represents a shift towards a circular economy, where materials are continuously reused rather than discarded.
From an environmental perspective, this initiative significantly lowers the carbon footprint associated with solar energy production. Every tonne of recycled solar panels prevents the emission of one tonne of CO₂, ensuring that solar power remains a truly green solution.
Furthermore, recycling solar panels helps reduce the cost of future solar technologies, as reclaimed materials can be reintegrated into the manufacturing process. This contributes to lower costs for solar installations, making renewable energy more accessible to businesses and homeowners alike.
What This Means for the Future of Renewable Energy
The partnership between Waste Experts, CEF, and ROSI marks a pivotal moment for the UK’s clean energy sector. It sets a new standard for sustainability by ensuring that solar panels have a second life rather than becoming waste.
By developing a nationwide infrastructure for solar panel recycling, this initiative is not only addressing the immediate waste problem but also laying the foundation for a long-term, circular economy in the renewable energy industry.
As the UK continues its transition to net-zero emissions, the responsible management of solar panel waste will be critical in maintaining the integrity of the renewable energy sector. This partnership proves that, with the right innovation, collaboration, and commitment, solar energy can be as sustainable at the end of its life cycle as it is when first installed.
Closing Remarks
The Waste Experts, CEF, and ROSI collaboration represents a ground-breaking step in tackling one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the solar industry. By combining logistical expertise, industry reach, and cutting-edge technology, this partnership has created a scalable and efficient solution for solar panel recycling in the UK.
For businesses, solar installers, and individuals, this initiative provides a clear, simple, and responsible way to ensure that solar panels are disposed of sustainably. As this programme expands, it will continue to shape the future of solar waste management, ensuring that the clean energy revolution remains truly sustainable.
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