Central idea: India is rapidly expanding its solar photovoltaic (PV) sector, but effective waste management strategies for this sector are still lacking. This article explores the challenges and gaps in solar PV waste management in India.

Solar PV Waste in India

• India has the world’s fourth-highest solar PV deployment, and the installed solar capacity was nearly 62 GW in November 2022.
• A 2016 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that India could generate 50,000-3,25,000 tonnes of PV waste by 2030 and more than four million tonnes by 2050.
• India’s solar PV installations are dominated by crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology, which mainly consists of a glass sheet, an aluminium frame, an encapsulant, a backsheet, copper wires, and silicon wafers.
• A typical PV panel is made of c-Si modules (93%) and cadmium telluride thin-film modules (7%).

Hazards posed by PV waste

Some of the hazards of solar PV waste are:

• Environmental pollution: The accumulation of solar PV waste in landfills can lead to environmental pollution, as the waste contains hazardous materials such as lead, cadmium, and other toxic chemicals. Incinerating the encapsulate also releases sulphur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen cyanide into the atmosphere.
• Health hazards: Improper handling and disposal of solar PV waste can lead to health hazards for workers and people living near the waste disposal sites. The toxic chemicals in the waste can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and other health issues.

Economy behind PV waste

• Financial losses: Improper management of solar PV waste can lead to financial losses for the companies involved in waste collection and treatment. The lack of suitable incentives and schemes in which businesses can invest leads to a small market for repurposing or reusing recycled PV waste in India.
• Resource depletion: The disposal of solar PV waste leads to the loss of valuable resources such as silicon, silver, and other critical materials, which can lead to resource depletion.

Recovery and Recycling of PV Waste

• As PV panels near expiration, some portions of the frame are extracted and sold as scrap; junctions and cables are recycled according to e-waste guidelines; the glass laminate is partly recycled, and the rest is disposed of as general waste.
• Silicon and silver can be extracted by burning the module in cement furnaces.
• According to a 2021 report, approximately 50% of the total materials can be recovered.

Challenges particular to India

• India faces challenges in the collection, storage, recycling, and repurposing of PV waste.
• Only about 20% of the waste is recovered in general, and the rest is treated informally, leading to pollution of the surroundings.
• Gaps in PV Waste Management-

1. Generalized as e-waste: The clubbing of PV waste with other e-waste could lead to confusion, and there is a need for specific provisions for PV waste treatment within the ambit of e-waste guidelines.
2. Hazards are ignored: PV waste is classified as hazardous waste in India, and there is a need for pan-India sensitisation drives and awareness programmes on PV waste management.

Why does India need to act now?

• Considering the rate at which these panels are being installed around the country, India is expected to generate an enormous amount of waste over the next 20 years.
• India is expected to become one of the top five leading photovoltaic waste producers worldwide by 2050.
• Therefore, India needs to install clear policy directives, well-established recycling strategies, and greater collaboration, so that it doesn’t find itself caught unprepared against a new problem in the future.

Key recommendations

Policymakers should:

• Introduce a ban on dumping of waste modules by different entities in the landfills.
• Formulate a dedicated PV module waste management regulation.
• Introduce incentives like green certificates to provide a level-playing field and encourage recycling and mineral recovery by the industry.

Industries should:

• Improve the PV module design to minimise the waste at the disposal stage. This can include sustainable design with reduced use of toxic minerals or adopting a ‘design to disassemble’ approach.
• Invest in the second-life use of sub-standard modules to delay waste creation.
• Collaborate with research institutes to develop recycling techniques and support pilot demonstrations.
• Conceptualise new business models to manage and finance the waste disposal.

Way forward

• India needs to pay more attention to domestic R&D efforts as depending on a single module type will dis-uniformly deplete certain natural resources.
• It is important to boost capacity for recycling and recover critical materials.
• This can be achieved by-

1. Formulating specific provisions for PV waste treatment,
2. Pan-India sensitisation drives, and awareness programmes,
3. Promoting domestic R&D efforts, and
4. Providing appropriate infrastructure facilities and adequate funding.

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