Status of PV Module Take-Back and Recycling in Germany: IEA PVPS Task 12: PV Sustainability

Photovoltaics (PV) is one of the key technologies needed for transforming Germany's energy system and meeting the targets of a low-carbon electricity generation system. Germany is one of the top five countries in terms of installed PV capacity, together with China, the United States of America, Japan, and India [1]. According to an estimate from Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), approximately 67 GWp of cumulative PV power were installed in Germany by the end of 2020 [2]. Further, with the update to Germany's Renewable Energy Sources Act [3] in 2023, the PV expansion targets were significantly increased to the cumulative installed PV power of 215 GWp in 2030 and 400 GWp in 2040. During this period, the first larger PV plants will also reach the end of their life (EOL) and will need to be gradually replaced. Because Germany was the first country to install large numbers of PV modules, it will be the first country that will need to handle large numbers of EOL modules. The current returns of EOL PV modules are still comparably low in number but will start to significantly increase by the end of the decade. The 2016 study of the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme Task 12 on the EOL management of PV panels estimated that the waste streams in Germany for 2030 will range from 400,000 to 1,000,000 tons and estimated that the expected waste volume will significantly increase in the following years [4]. With regard to PV as part of a sustainable energy system, it is necessary to provide appropriate treatment and recycling processes for returned PV waste streams to ensure the circularity of used materials. Additionally, the recycling capacities need to be expanded to meet future demand. Further, professional coordination and infrastructure for the take-back and collection of PV module waste are required to ensure that EOL modules are treated via the intended recycling routes.