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

Ioanna Teknetzi

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

Publications

More information

Latest update

10/10/2024