SOLARCYCLE Leads the Way with Pioneering Solar Recycling Facility in Georgia

SOLARCYCLE, a leading solar recycling company, is set to invest around $344 million in a groundbreaking solar glass manufacturing facility in Cedartown, Georgia. This facility marks a significant milestone as the first of its kind in the United States, utilizing recycled materials from retired solar panels to produce new solar glass.

Situated in the Cedartown North Business Park, a GRAD-certified site, construction of the plant is scheduled to commence in 2024, with operations expected to begin in 2026. Notably, this facility will be the inaugural one for SOLARCYCLE, integrating glass manufacturing alongside solar panel recycling.

With two existing solar panel recycling facilities in the U.S., SOLARCYCLE boasts a recycling technology that can extract up to 95% of the value from used solar panels. The forthcoming Georgia plant positions SOLARCYCLE as one of the pioneering manufacturers of specialized glass for crystalline-silicon (c-Si) photovoltaics in the U.S., capable of producing 5 to 6 GW of solar glass annually. The output will be directly supplied to domestic solar manufacturers.

Governor Brian Kemp expressed enthusiasm, stating, “SOLARCYCLE’s first-of-its-kind facility is a transformative investment for the Polk County community, driving its economy for years to come.” He emphasized Georgia's robust energy mix as a key factor attracting substantial investments.

While solar photovoltaics are typically recycled similarly to glass, cars, and electronics, achieving a circular economy for solar panels poses challenges, recovering only about 80% of PV materials. Despite clear moral incentives for solar panel recycling, limited financial motivation currently exists. SOLARCYCLE argues that the true cost of landfilling, factoring in logistics, surpasses the apparent $1 to $2 range, making recycling more economically viable in the long run.

Considering the increasing demand for solar cycling, even with 70% of solar projects built in the last five years and panels having a life span of over 30 years, the International Renewable Energy Agency forecasts global solar PV waste to reach 78 million tonnes by 2050. This waste holds potential raw materials valued at $15 billion, according to the agency. Models from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimate that installing 500 GW of solar PV in the U.S. by 2050 will generate 9.1 million metric tons of waste, with 80% landfilled, 1% reused, and 10% recycled.