Analysis of Difficulties in Recycling Photovoltaic Modules in China

At present, the production of new waste products such as power batteries and photovoltaic modules in my country has increased significantly, making recycling, dismantling and processing difficult.

First, my country has not yet established a photovoltaic module recycling policy and standard system. At the policy level, due to the small scale of domestic photovoltaic module recycling at this stage, relevant policies are basically blank. At the standard level, my country released the "General Technical Requirements for the Recycling and Reuse of Thin-Film Solar Cell Modules for Buildings (GB/T 38785-2020)" in 2020 and the "General Technical Requirements for the Recycling and Reuse of Photovoltaic Modules (GB/T 39753)" in 2021. -2021)" national standard, but both standards are recommendations and not strongly binding. GB/T 39753-2021 will not be implemented until 2022. Other related supporting technical specifications and standards are missing and need to be continuously improved.

Second, the research and development of harmless recycling technology is progressing slowly. Some photovoltaic recycling companies in Europe and Japan mostly use heat treatment and solvent methods to decompose the adhesive layer between the glass and the backsheet, which results in higher energy consumption and pollutant emissions. The recycling of waste photovoltaic modules in my country is still in the technology exploration and research and development stage. Some technologies are mostly at the laboratory level and have not yet been industrialized. At present, the focus of enterprises and research institutions in the domestic photovoltaic industry is to improve the conversion efficiency of solar cells. There is a lack of attention to the disposal of waste components, and a mature and feasible technical route has not yet been formed.

Third, recycling costs are high and economic benefits are poor. my country's large-scale photovoltaic power stations are located in remote areas, distributed photovoltaics are relatively scattered, and the collection and transportation costs are high. In addition, the glass and frame of a photovoltaic module weighing tens of kilograms account for more than 80% of the weight. The valuable rare metals are only a few grams, and the gross profit margin for recycling is very low.

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