Qcells, a solar manufacturer based in Seoul, South Korea, has launched ‘EcoRecycle by Qcells’ – the company’s new solar panel recycling arm.
In a company statement, Qcells explained that EcoRecycle “addresses the growing challenge of solar panel waste”, thus reducing the solar industry’s environmental footprint as the volume of end-of-life panels begins to rise.
EcoRecycle will begin operations at the company’s facility in Georgia, USA, as the first foothold in what the company plans to be a nationwide network.
According to Qcells, the Georgia facility will be able to recycle around 250MW of panels per annum – equal to 500,000 panels – retrieving materials including glass, silver, copper, and aluminium.
“With this new business, Qcells will emerge as the first-ever crystalline silicon (C-Si) solar panel producer to possess a full value chain, conducting both solar panel manufacturing and recycling on US soil,” comments Kelly Weger, Senior Director of Sustainability at Qcells, in the company’s statement.
“Effectively managing solar waste is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the clean energy sector.”
Qcells also provides PV and BESS products, large-scale solar projects, and renewable energy contracting across Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East.
