Photovoltaic Waste Management

Why in news?

The solar photovoltaic waste has been increasing in recent times and there are policy gaps in addressing it.

What is solar photovoltaic?

• Photovoltaics (often shortened as PV) gets its name from the process of converting light to electricity which is called the photovoltaic effect.
• A single PV device is known as a cell.
• These PV cells such as semiconductor materials such as silicon, and selenium.
• When the light falls, the selenium compound releases electrons that are sufficient to maintain the flow of current through the external circuit.

What is photovoltaic waste?

• The solar photovoltaic contain elements such as silver, tin, lead, glass sheet, aluminum frame, copper wires, panel encapsulant and silicon wafers.
• Leaching of toxic metals (such as lead and cadmium) into the soil contaminates the local water.
• Gradual incineration of the panel encapsulant releases sulphur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen cyanide into the atmosphere.
• According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) India could generate 50,000-3,25,000tons of cumulative photovoltaic waste by 2030 and more than 4 million tons by 2050.
• India is expected to become one of the top five leading photovoltaic waste producers globally by 2045-2050.

R.K. Singh committee had been constituted to propose an action plan to evolve a “circular economy” in solar panel through reuse/recycling of waste generated.

What measures were taken for the reduction of PV waste?

• Revised electronic waste (e-waste) management Rules in 2022-Brought solar photovoltaic cells, panels, and modules under its ambit.
• Green Credit Programme-Aims to promote green growth and sustainable practices addressing solar photovoltaic wastes.

What are the challenges?

• Lack of commercial recovery units–Lack of commercial raw material recovery facility for solar e-waste operations in India.
• Informal units-Growing informal units in handling photovoltaic waste
• Landfills -The 80% of photovoltaic waste are landed in landfills 
• Lack of policy-No policy in the collection, storage, recycling, and repurposing of photovoltaic waste.
• The solar wastes are included in the e-waste but there is no separate policy for it.
• Lack of markets-The market to repurpose or reuse recycled photovoltaic waste is less in India.
• Lack of institutions–A body to measure, monitor, and report solar photovoltaic waste is absent.

References

1. The Hindu │Solar Photovoltaic
2. IEA │Data For Solar PV
3. The Hindu │ Solar Photovoltaic