Crucial metal recycling from waste solar cells and reuse in manufacturing for the sustainable solar energy industry
Research Project, 2020
– 2024
Solar energy is accepted as the key to a clean energy future and to limit the effects of climate change. The energy transformation from fossil fuels to renewable sources has significant challenges due to raw material shortage. International Energy Agency has an ambitious target to reach solar cell capacity that covers more than 20% of the global energy demand. However, we have to use half of the estimated silver reserve in the earth's crust to achieve the goal considering no other applications of silver and no recycling. Indium supply is another critical factor for the solar cell industry not only due to resource scarcity but also to the negligible recycling of end-of-life products. The work suggested in this proposal aims to overcome this obstacle by developing technology and know-how on the recycling of silver and indium from waste solar cells.
Participants
Burcak Ebin (contact)
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material
Christian Ekberg
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material
Collaborations
Mat4Green Tech
Göteborg, Sweden
Midsummer AB
Järfälla, Sweden
Funding
Swedish Energy Agency
Project ID: 49349-1
Funding Chalmers participation during 2020–2023
Related Areas of Advance and Infrastructure
Sustainable development
Driving Forces
Production
Areas of Advance
Energy
Areas of Advance
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Driving Forces
Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory
Infrastructure
Materials Science
Areas of Advance