A significant portion of solar panels in the U.S., many of which are reaching the end of their lifespan sooner than the anticipated 30 years, are ending up in landfills. A Science Direct study predicts an alarming 9.8 million metric tons of solar panel waste between 2030 and 2060. The cost discrepancy between landfill disposal and recycling of solar panels, as reported by PV Magazine, poses a significant challenge in managing this waste responsibly.
Wind turbines pose a similar problem. Thousands of blades, some longer than a Boeing 747’s wingspan, are already being discarded in dumps and fields across states like Texas, Wyoming, and South Dakota. According to David Morgan of Carbon Rivers, a Tennessee-based recycling center, recycling these robust materials is challenging. While the industry is discussing end-of-life solutions, there is no established system for a composite circular economy, which would involve reusing and regenerating materials sustainably. This is echoed on Carbon Rivers’ website, which talks about transforming waste into valuable materials.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under former President Donald Trump recognized the impending issue of renewable energy waste. Former EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler highlighted the need for a strategy to manage the end-of-life of technologies like solar panels and windmills to avoid burdening the environment.