Mycrogrid Materials Recycling (MMR) is on track to be the largest solar panel recycling facility in the “solar southwest” as it serves as a central magnet for California and Arizona end-of-life panels. Upon opening, MMR will also be the first solar recycling facility in the nation developed in cooperation with a solar installation company, Renova Energy, which is also expected to be its largest supplier of panels to be recycled.
Located in the eastern portion of the Coachella Valley in Southern California, the state with the highest solar penetration and dense with solar material, MMR will provide recycling services for solar essential materials, including photovoltaic modules, racking and railing, and ultimately battery storage equipment. “I’m very excited to be involved with Mycrogrid Materials Recycling, and for Renova to be participating,” said Vincent Battaglia, Board Member and MMR advisor. “As someone who is passionate about sustainability, the solar energy revolution isn’t really realized until we complete the circle with recycling the panels that have come to the end of their useful lifespan and the materials are used to create more panels and other products.”
More than 90% of discarded solar panels end up in landfills. By 2030, the retired panels are estimated to cover an area equivalent to about 3,000 football fields. Through a safe, advanced, environmentally conscious process, MMR breaks down solar essential materials for reuse in new products to ensure that solar energy remains a truly sustainable solution. Although 95% of a typical photovoltaic panel is made of recyclable materials, disassembling them, and recovering the glass, silver and silicon is extremely difficult, making this venture even more admirable and an environmental no-brainer.