This startup is partnering with Sunrun to recycle and re-use millions of outdated solar panels

Solar panels whitethorn beryllium the epitome of greenish hardware, but arsenic the exertion advances and much almighty panels instrumentality implicit the market, older panels are turning into harmful waste. Now 1 California-based startup, SolarCycle, is taking vantage of that discarded by recycling components of the panels and selling them disconnected for profit.

SolarCycle claims it tin inexpensively extract astir 95% of the high-value materials successful star panels, similar silver, silicon, copper and aluminum. Those tin past beryllium repurposed oregon returned to the proviso chain, creating a circular star economy.

"Initially we are extracting the materials and past selling those backmost to different suppliers that volition usage them for caller products, but agelong term, we are focused connected doing probe and improvement connected making caller panels from these aged panels," said SolarCycle CEO Suvi Sharma, noting that truthful acold the lone star sheet recycling has been some rudimentary and expensive.

"We are applying precise precocious exertion to recycle star panels, to extract each the cardinal materials retired of these panels."

Sharma says determination is amazingly small contention successful star recycling due to the fact that the exertion for it was lagging, causing a spread successful the market. What was disposable was rudimentary and expensive. But star exertion is advancing rapidly, making caller panels acold much businesslike and older ones acold little useful, spurring request for recycling.

The U.S. unsocial could spot astir 1 cardinal metric tons of star sheet discarded by 2030, arsenic older models either neglect oregon are replaced by much almighty ones, according to a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Partnering with Sunrun, 1 of the largest star services providers successful the U.S, is allowing the hardly year-old institution to recycle astatine scale.

"It is perfectly cost-effective successful the discourse of what our customers tendency for america to beryllium doing and the aboriginal of star panels and the cleanable vigor revolution," said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell.

Not lone cost-effective, but valuable. Recyclable materials from star panels could beryllium worthy much than $2.7 cardinal by 2030, up from $170 cardinal this year, according to Rystad Energy.

While SolarCycle is inactive successful precise aboriginal stages, Sharma says the institution is rapidly seeing precocious demand.

"We spot increasing from virtually zero, we did commencement generating gross this year, to $100 cardinal successful gross successful the adjacent fewer years," helium said.

Investors see Lyndon Rive of SunPower, Peter Rive of SolarCity, Closed Loop Partners, and Urban Innovation fund. It's raised $6.6 cardinal truthful far.