Renewable energies have grown exponentially in recent decades, but they have also faced significant challenges. One of the main issues is the management of solar panel waste, which is costly and complex to recycle. However, a Chinese company has found an innovative solution that could change the global energy landscape.
Solar panels are an effective alternative to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. However, over time they lose efficiency and need to be replaced. The problem lies in the fact that while aluminum and glass can be easily recycled, materials such as silicon and silver pose technical and economic challenges for their recovery.
Currently, recycling processes require extremely high temperatures and aggressive chemical methods, which increases costs and generates negative environmental impacts. Faced with this scenario, the industry was looking for more sustainable alternatives for the reuse of these essential materials.
China takes the lead
Trina Solar, one of the leading solar technology manufacturers in China, developed a revolutionary method for recycling solar panels. Their innovation allowed them to manufacture the first fully recycled crystalline silicon solar panel, marking a milestone in the industry.
This breakthrough was made possible thanks to the implementation of 37 new patented techniques that facilitate the recovery of 100% of silicon, aluminum, and silver, among other valuable materials. These strategies include advanced chemical processes and water-based extraction methods, ensuring that the reused components maintain their efficiency and quality.
Competitive performance thanks to solar panel recycling
Trina Solar’s new recycled solar panel offers an efficiency of 20.7%, just below the 25% achieved by some latest-generation models. Additionally, it has over 645 watts of power and uses TOPcon cells, an advanced technology that improves the resistance and durability of the panels, ensuring stable energy production even in low solar radiation conditions.
This innovative recycling process not only drastically reduces electronic waste but also meets the sustainability regulations of demanding markets like the European Union, which requires that at least 80% of solar panel materials be recyclable.
China has shown that it is possible to transform solar waste into new products without losing efficiency, opening the door to a future where clean energy is even more sustainable and accessible to the world.
First solar park in Cuba inaugurated to address electricity shortages
The vulnerability of the Cuban electrical system, which relies on over 90% non-renewable energies, has left the country on the brink of collapse in recent months, with significant blackouts across the island, which is home to a population of 10 million inhabitants.
The country’s eight outdated thermoelectric plants, mainly inaugurated in the 1980s and 1990s, suffer constant failures. Additionally, the floating plants leased to Turkish companies and the generators that complement the national energy system depend on fuel that Cuba imports with great difficulty and often faces shortages.
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