EcoRecycle will launch recycling operations at a state-of-the-art facility in Cartersville, Georgia, with plans to expand its recycling network across the U.S. At full capacity, EcoRecycle’s facility in Georgia will have the ability to recycle approximately 250 megawatts (MW) of solar panels annually – around 500,000 panels per year – repurposing materials like aluminum, glass, silver and copper. With plans to expand its recycling centers across the nation, EcoRecycle aims to optimize logistics and scale up operations to enhance efficiency.

Positioning itself at the forefront of the waste-to-resource industry, EcoRecycle is focusing on three key initiatives:

Offering a cost-saving take-back service with low recycling fees, ensuring seamless, affordable and responsible solar panel disposal.

Advancing proprietary high-purity resource separation technology to maximize material recovery, reuse and sustainability in solar recycling.

Reducing carbon emissions in PV panels production through the utilization of recycled resources, strengthening the domestic supply chain and promoting a circular solar economy.

“With this new business, Qcells will emerge as the first-ever crystalline silicon (C-Si) solar panel producer to possess a full value chain, conducting both solar panel manufacturing and recycling on U.S. soil,” said Kelly Weger, Senior Director of Sustainability at Qcells. “Effectively managing solar waste is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the clean energy sector. ”