Reciclagem de painéis fotovoltaicos e seu valor econômico no mercado de energia solar

Abstract

Solar energy, among renewable sources, is the one that presents the greatest annual increase in installed capacity worldwide. However, as photovoltaic capacity in- creases, so does the volume of waste from these modules after their useful life, which is 25 to 30 years. This work addresses the recycling of photovoltaic panels and their economic value in the solar energy market, presenting the environmental im- pacts caused by the growth in the use of photovoltaic panels and the waste pro - duced, the recycling technologies already used, and the environmental benefits aris- ing from recycling processes. A systematic bibliographic research was conducted, re - sulting in a projection of the accumulation of photovoltaic material waste of 8 million tons by 2030 and 78 million tons by 2050, considering the scenario of premature losses (failures, wear). Furthermore, the results point to the need for the replacement of rare and precious materials used in the composition of photovoltaic modules; for example, silver, whose reserves will be depleted in approximately 20 years. The end- of-life management of photovoltaic modules is related to the recycling of this material through waste reduction, following the 5 Rs. Recycling photovoltaic material offers different advantages, both environmental and economic, and ensures the return of high-value materials to the market, generating business prospects for the sector. Ap- proximately 450 million dollars can be generated from waste from photovoltaic panels by 2030, and by 2050, this amount will reach 15 billion dollars. Therefore, proper end-of-life management of photovoltaic modules is necessary, along with the creation of a path that efficiently reduces environmental impacts while generating economic value.