Australian researchers have found that stainless steel could be a practical way to recover valuable silver from old solar panels, potentially reducing waste and improving recycling efficiency.
Silver, which makes up only 0.03% of the weight of a solar panel but half of its material value, could be crucial to recover as current trends suggest that a significant portion of the world's silver reserves could be locked away in PV modules by 2050.
The study highlights the importance of developing effective recycling methods for solar panels to keep valuable materials in circulation, reduce costs, and support the transition to cleaner energy systems without relying heavily on newly mined resources.
