To:  Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board; and Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy 

The growing problem of Solar Waste 

India’s ambitious targets of installing 280 GW of solar energy by 2070 are vital for its decarbonization goals and transition to a clean energy future.i As of November 2024, installed solar power capacity in India stands at 94.17 GW.ii However, using solar technologies leads to the generation of solar waste. Solar waste refers to the disposed and damaged solar panels and scrap waste generated during manufacturing, transporting and installing solar panels. A recent study estimates that India has already generated 100 kilotons (kt) of solar waste from its installed solar capacity up till 2023. It projects that the cumulative waste from existing and new capacities will reach about 600 kt by 2030 and will increase to about 19000 kt by 2050.iii 

Dealing with this waste is crucial to mitigate the harmful environmental and health impacts of untreated or mishandled solar waste. India uses mostly crystalline solar panels, which are primarily composed of non-hazardous materials (90%) such as glass, aluminum and silicon, as well as some hazardous materials including silver, lead, and tin.iv Their presence requires the waste to be treated under specific conditions and safety guidelines. Improper handling and careless disposal of solar waste can result in untreated toxins from the hazardous materials leaching out and contaminating soil and groundwater. Additionally, the lack of proper end-of-life management systems risk the emergence of an informal waste management industry. On ground reporting suggests that some waste pickers in India are already involved in such a trade, operating under no proper safety standards or regulation, which is potentially detrimental to their health and well-being.v vi 

Solar waste was notified under the India’s E-waste Management Rules of 2022, which mandated manufacturers to maintain a data inventory of the waste, store solar waste generated up until 2035, and ensure the processing of this waste. vii However, since these guidelines are still being developed, there are limited details on the collection mechanisms and the technical procedures to be followed for processing or recycling the waste. Moreover, the options for recycling and recovering materials from solar waste are at present, very limited, which restrict manufacturers’ avenues for responsible handling. Recycling or recovering of most materials is not yet deemed profitable due to lack of awareness, massive upfront costs, high investment risks, and underdeveloped infrastructure and technology. Therefore, there is a need to develop the private sector capabilities to how to catalyse the recycling and material recovery industry in India. 

Recommendations 

Theme 1: Comprehensive data collection and sharing 

1. For other, non-manufacturer, handlers and customers using solar panels, a mechanism or platform to report and record data on damaged or non-functioning modules and end-of-life panels needs to be created to help estimate the current volume of solar waste available and being generated. 

2. The inventory of solar photovoltaic waste to be submitted by manufacturers to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) should be made publicly available to build an understanding of the location and volume of waste being generated. This may enable recyclers or prospective recyclers and waste handlers to locate and identify areas for potential engagements and plan logistics accordingly.  

Theme 2: Making recycling economically viable  

3. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) can introduce viability gap funding (VGF) for solar panel recycling and material recovery projects to boost private sector innovation and engagement. VGF schemes can be useful to support such projects as they are economically and socially justified but lack financial viability in the short term. India does have a precedent of offering VGF support of up to 60% of total project cost for social sector projects in water supply, waste water treatment, solid waste management among others.viii 

4. Research on recycling technologies and critical mineral recovery from solar panels can be included as part of the Government’s budget allocations to drive private Sector-Driven Research and Innovation.ix 

Theme 3: Building Ecosystem Capacities 

5. The curriculum of government affiliated organizations and institutes like the Skill Council for Green Jobs and National Institute of Solar Energy (under MNRE), who provide certification and training for new job roles in the renewable energy market, can be expanded to offer the requisite courses and skill qualifications for solar panel dismantling, recycling, material recovery and disposal.  

6. Some premier academic institutes of the country have start-up incubator hubs which can be leveraged to support recycling pilot projects and experiments to test new technologies or techniques for more effective or cheaper recycling and material recovery.  

7. Blended finance models can be explored to help mitigate financial risks and pool in private investments for undertaking infrastructure creation of such large-scale waste management projects.  

Conclusion 

Growing solar waste concerns both government departments that issue guidelines and monitor and handle matters related to waste and environment, such as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as well as those involved with promoting renewable energy. Synergistic collaboration can aid in the development of an economically robust solar waste management industry, while fostering private sector entrepreneurships and the creation of more jobs in the country. Proper handling of solar waste is also an issue of public health and environmental wellbeing. In the long term, material recovery and recycling will contribute to resource efficiency which will make solar panels cheaper in the future and provide a second-hand market for critical materials which are necessary for other clean energy technologies.