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11h ago

SOLARCYCLE and ASU Clear Path for First Commercial Solar Glass Recycling Plant

Having shown that panels with half recycled glass match new ones in efficiency, the project now moves forward with a Cedartown, Georgia factory to feed recycled cullet into new solar glass production.

The project successfully created and tested prototype solar panels made from a 50/50 mix of recycled and new glass.

Overview

  • Mini-module prototypes made with 50% recycled glass from end-of-life panels achieved the same power-conversion efficiency as modules with entirely new glass.
  • Arizona State University researchers led by Vice Dean Zachary Holman validated the recycled-glass performance through industry-standard tests showing no statistically significant differences.
  • SOLARCYCLE plans to construct the first commercial solar glass factory using recycled glass cullet adjacent to its Cedartown, Georgia recycling site.
  • The plant will blend recycled and virgin glass at a 50/50 ratio to integrate circular feedstock into mainstream solar panel manufacturing.
  • Rising panel waste and U.S. policy incentives are driving innovations like this to strengthen domestic supply-chain resilience and reduce solar manufacturing waste.