Solar Panel Recycling Management Market Size & Share 2016 - 2024
Market Size by Process (Thermal, Mechanical, Laser), by Product (Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, Thin Films PV Cells), by Shelf Life (Early Loss, Normal Loss), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Price Trends, & Forecast.
Report ID: GMI1153
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Published Date: February 2017
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Report Format: PDF
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Authors:
Ankit Gupta, Abhishek Chopra
Solar Panel Recycling Management Market Size
Solar Panel Recycling Management Market size estimated at USD 20 million in 2015 and is set to witness growth at over 35% from 2016 to 2024.
Growing adoption of alternate energy coupled with increasing number of decommissioned panels will drive the global solar panel recycling management market. In Germany, the total volume of decommissioned panels was exceeding 75,000 tons in 2015 as against more than 50,000 tons in 2010. Increasing number of solar farms coupled with stringent government regulations towards effective waste disposal and recycling will drive the market share over forecast timeframe. In 2016, the cumulative mass of installed panels was more than 4 million tons.
Strict regulations to control the growing number of panel waste will stimulate the market value during forecast period. In 2012, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2012/19/EU stipulated that PV system manufacturers must take up the responsibility to efficiently recycle decommissioned systems and effectively dispose electronic waste.
PV Cycle (PVC) is a pan-European initiative boost the investments made for setting up PV panel recycling units in a public private partnership model. As per the model, there will be proactive participation from local governments and private investors willing to invest in the industry. The WEEE has introduced two financing approaches including individual pre-funding and contractual agreements.
Solar Panel Recycling Management Market Analysis
Solar panel recycling management market size from thermal process was over USD 2 million in 2015 and is likely to witness substantial growth by 2024. Thermal process currently has a limited adoption scope but is expected to gain wider acceptance during the forecast period due to decreasing silicon content in panels.
Mechanical process will exceed USD 300 million by 2024, as it has wide adoption across the globe owing to its process safety coupled with increasing adoption of polycrystalline panels. Laser processes are predicted to grow over 45% over the forecast period. Adoption of laser technology is still in nascent stages and is expected to witness strong growth after 2020.
Monocrystalline cells in 2015 valued over USD 1.5 million. Monocrystalline have very low penetration owing to high prices associated with its adoption. Polycrystalline cells products are anticipated to exceed USD 220 million by 2024 owing to growing emphasis on clean energy adoption in developed countries. Polycrystalline cells are highly efficient and possess high battery memory properties.
Solar panel recycling management market from thin films PV cells are set to grow at over 40% to 2024 owing to large scale adoption subject to affordable prices with excellent quality and longer shelf life.
Early losses shelf life segment is expected to register around 35% CAGR during the forecast period. The average shelf life of a solar panel is 30 years however, due to weather conditions and maintenance issues, panels need to be decommissioned earlier than expected.
Normal losses are predicted to exceed USD 300 million by 2024, subject to end of a panel’s shelf life. Discarded panels are collected together and recycled to recover components that can be reused, further reducing the manufacturing cost of PV panels.
U.S. solar panel recycling management industry valued above USD 5 million in 2015 and is expected to witness significant growth from 2016 to 2024 owing to high adoption of PV systems. Decommissioned PV panels volumes increased from over 18,000 tons in 2010 to over 30,000 tons in 2016.
Germany solar panel recycling management market is set to surpass over USD 24 million by 2024. Germany was one of the first countries in the world to install PV panels on a large scale and encourage adoption of alternate sources of energy. Japan is predicted to grow over 30% from 2016 to 2024. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry had announced in 2008, its intention to install panels in 70% of residential areas of Japan and has followed up with investments, subsidies and feed-in-tariff initiatives.
Chile market revenue will witness growth over 40% over the forecast timeframe. Chile is expected to witness cumulative waste volumes of decommissioned PV panels of over 45,000 tons by 2024, making it a large market for panel recycling.
Solar Panel Recycling Management Market Share
Global solar panel recycling management industry participants include
In 2015, Sunvault Energy Inc. purchased 50% stake in CleanGen Inc., Canadian waste-to-energy firm. CleanGen is an Aborigin company with a net income about $1.5 million in 2014 and gross revenues more than $5 million.
Industry Background
Solar energy is at the foremost of the clean energy adoption initiatives, as an increasing number of governments and world bodies are encouraging its adoption to reduce dependency on non-renewable sources of energy. Increasing market demand can be attributed to the first wave of panel adoption in the 1990s and the industry is likely to undergo a paradigm shift over the next decade. The average life of a PV panel is 30 years and needs to be decommissioned afterwards, which means the panels installed in the late 90s will need to be recycled now.
Research methodology, data sources & validation process
This report draws on a structured research process built around direct industry conversations, proprietary modelling, and rigorous cross-validation and not just desk research.
Our 6-step research process
1. Research design & analyst oversight
At GMI, our research methodology is built on a foundation of human expertise, rigorous validation, and complete transparency. Every insight, trend analysis, and forecast in our reports is developed by experienced analysts who understand the nuances of your market.
Our approach integrates extensive primary research through direct engagement with industry participants and experts, complemented by comprehensive secondary research from verified global sources. We apply quantified impact analysis to deliver dependable forecasts, while maintaining complete traceability from original data sources to final insights.
2. Primary research
Primary research forms the backbone of our methodology, contributing nearly 80% to overall insights. It involves direct engagement with industry participants to ensure accuracy and depth in analysis. Our structured interview program covers regional and global markets, with inputs from C-suite executives, directors, and subject matter experts. These interactions provide strategic, operational, and technical perspectives, enabling well-rounded insights and reliable market forecasts.
3. Data mining & market analysis
Data mining is a key part of our research process, contributing nearly 20% to the overall methodology. It involves analysing market structure, identifying industry trends, and assessing macroeconomic factors through revenue share analysis of major players. Relevant data is collected from both paid and unpaid sources to build a reliable database. This information is then integrated to support primary research and market sizing, with validation from key stakeholders such as distributors, manufacturers, and associations.
4. Market sizing
Our market sizing is built on a bottom-up approach, starting with company revenue data gathered directly through primary interviews, alongside production volume figures from manufacturers and installation or deployment statistics. These inputs are then pieced together across regional markets to arrive at a global estimate that stays grounded in actual industry activity.
5. Forecast model & key assumptions
Every forecast includes explicit documentation of:
✓ Key growth drivers and their assumed impact
✓ Restraining factors and mitigation scenarios
✓ Regulatory assumptions and policy change risk
✓ Technology adoption curve parameter
✓ Macroeconomic assumptions (GDP growth, inflation, currency)
✓ Competitive dynamics and market entry/exit expectations
6. Validation & quality assurance
The final stages involve human validation, where domain experts manually review filtered data to identify nuances and contextual errors that automated systems might miss. This expert review adds a critical layer of quality assurance, ensuring data aligns with research objectives and domain-specific standards.
Our triple-layer validation process ensures maximum data reliability:
✓ Statistical Validation
✓ Expert Validation
✓ Market Reality Check
Trust & credibility
Verified data sources
Trade publications
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Industry databases
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Regulatory filings
Government procurement records and policy documents
Academic research
University studies and specialist institution reports
Company reports
Annual reports, investor presentations, and filings
Expert interviews
C-suite, procurement leads, and technical specialists
GMI archive
13,000+ published studies across 30+ industry verticals
Trade data
Import/export volumes, HS codes, and customs records
Parameters studied & evaluated
Every data point in this report is validated through primary interviews, true bottom-up modelling, and rigorous cross-checks. Read about our research process →