High-Efficiency Recycled Silicon Solar Cell
- Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
The project, High-Efficiency Recycled Silicon Solar Cell, addresses the critical challenge of end-of-life (EoL) photovoltaic (PV) waste, which is expected to reach 78 million tons by 2050. Traditional recycling methods for recovering valuable materials like silver from silicon solar cells are inefficient, environmentally harmful, and economically unfeasible. Therefore, presently waste solar cells end up as landfills. This project aimed to develop a green, scalable, laser-based method for silver recovery, avoiding hazardous chemicals and minimizing operational costs. This research contributes to the circular economy in the renewable energy sector by enhancing material recovery from PV waste.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
- DOE Contract Number:
- EE0010244
- OSTI ID:
- 2588729
- Report Number(s):
- DE--EE0010244
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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