The SolarWorld Group, a Germany-based provider of solar products, has expanded its solar module recycling program to the U.S. market through its SolarWorld Industries America subsidiary.
SolarWorld Industries America, located in Camarillo, Calif., will recycle any crystalline solar module, regardless of its manufacturer, cell shape or size. The frame is first separated from the module, and the cells are removed from the laminate and treated in an etching process, which results in clean wafers that can be used to produce new cells and modules. This recycling process is particularly effective with older modules that used thicker cells – consisting of two or three times as much silicon compared to today's products, the company says.
