More than 5,000 heaps of modules gathered for recycling in France

• PV Cycle has stated it collected more than 280,000 solar panels at the end of their lifecycle in France last year, consisting of 200 lots from the country's overseas territories.

Solar waste organization PV Cycle recycled more than 280,000 end-of-life photovoltaic panels in France last year. Around 95% of them, PV Cycle stated, will be processed at the Triade Électronique factory in Rousset, in the Bouches-du-Rhô& ocirc; ne department of southern France.

The factory is operated by a system of French environmental providers Veolia which specializes in the treatment of waste electrical and electronic devices. The panels are ground and separated into glass, silicon, plastics and copper.

PV Cycle said the yearly volume collected has actually increased by an aspect of more than 13 since solar waste recycling began in earnest in 2015. In 2030, the quantity collected is expected to reach 50,000 lots, the company included.

Expansion plans

To handle the predicted boost, PV Cycle prepares to open more treatment systems in the brief and medium term and the recycling body stated it is exploring options for a 2nd treatment system in France.

PV Cycle France was founded in 2014 by the French solar sector. It is governed by the ENR Solaire and ENR PWT systems of French energy giant EDF, Swiss-owned solar job designer Urbasolar, the Sillia VL module production business owned by Austria-based Recom, French module maker Voltec Solar and renewables trade body the Syndicat des Energies Renouvelables.

The EU has introduced PV-specific waste policy needing all panel manufacturers that supply modules to the EU market to finance the costs of gathering and recycling end-of-life products.

In October 2018, a consortium of 11 companies and five research institutes from 9 EU countries released findings which demonstrated the end-of-life management and recycling of PV modules was highly cost-effective.