Japan's Power Market News 2024/W39

Japan to Formulate an Effective Recycling System for Solar Panels

Japan has started discussions to design a #recycling system for #solar panels at the Solar Power Generation Equipment Recycling Working Group led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Environment (MOE). The group hopes to work out an effective recycling system to ensure that (used) solar panels are handed over by the owners of power generation facilities to enterprises that reuse and recycle them, once their lifespan is complete.

Solar panels have been rapidly gaining popularity since the introduction of the feed-in tariff program (FIT) in 2012. With an average lifespan of 20 to 30 years, the disposal volume is expected to increase starting in the mid-2030s. It is estimated that the weight of discarded solar panels could reach 500,000 tons per year.

Challenges and Progress Toward Solar Panel Recycling

Panel recycling presents challenges because #glass constitutes about 60% of the panel weight, while #plastics make up nearly 20%, and currently there are no mandates for recycling. In response to the current situation, MOE recently updated the guidelines for the promotion of recycling solar power generation equipment.

Initial discussions focused on the importance of establishing a system to ensure a stable supply of solar panels to recycling companies while implementing recycling above a certain quality level. They also discussed topics such as the burden of costs for dismantling, removal, transportation, and recycling, and the nature of information management to ensure traceability. Details are expected to be finalized by this winter and MOE plans to submit a related bill to the ordinary Diet session in 2025.

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