Scientists recycle solar cells sustainably - with water

Solar cells are at the forefront of renewable energy, but their sustainability has long been a challenge. Now, a team of scientists has devised an innovative method to recycle them efficiently, offering a potential breakthrough in the fight against electronic waste.

This is more than just a solution – it’s a monumental step toward sustainability and a possible game-changer for the global energy crisis.

The researchers have developed a way to reprocess all components of perovskite solar cells without relying on harmful solvents. Remarkably, the recycled cells retain the same efficiency as their original, unprocessed counterparts.

Even more impressive, this breakthrough is powered by a simple yet effective ingredient – water – providing a sustainable alternative to conventional, toxic chemicals.

Energizing our future with solar cells

With the current surge in electrification in various sectors – from our digital technologies to our vehicles – energy consumption is all set to soar.

To prevent this substantial increase in electricity usage from fuelling climate change, numerous sustainable energy sources need to join forces. Solar energy has long been seen as a vital player in this ensemble.

Silicon-based solar panels have been in the commercial sphere for over three decades. However, their life cycle is nearing its end, leading to a significant waste problem.

Study lead author Xun Xiao is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Linköping University.

“There is currently no efficient technology to deal with the waste of silicon panels. That’s why old solar panels end up in the landfill. Huge mountains of electronic waste that you can’t do anything with,” said Xiao.

Emerging solar cell technologies

The researchers are focused on developing flagship solar cell technologies that inherently accommodate recycling.

“We need to take recycling into consideration when developing emerging solar cell technologies. If we don’t know how to recycle them, maybe we shouldn’t put them on the market at all,” noted study co-author Feng Gao, a professor of optoelectronics.

Perovskite solar cells are cost-effective and simple to produce. They are also lightweight, flexible, and transparent.

With a potential 25% efficiency in converting solar energy into electricity, perovskite solar cells rival modern silicon-based counterparts.

“There are many companies that want to get perovskite solar cells on the market right now, but we’d like to avoid another landfill. In this project, we’ve developed a method where all parts can be reused in a new perovskite solar cell without compromising performance in the new one,” noted study co-author Niansheng Xu.

Recycling perovskite with water

Even though the power-packed perovskite solar cells have a shorter lifespan than silicon panels, it is crucial that their recycling process is both productive and environmentally benign.

A small amount of lead, vital for high efficiency, is present in these cells. This creates the need for a well-functioning recycling procedure.

Existing methods to disassemble perovskite solar cells often require a toxic, environmentally damaging, and potentially carcinogenic compound present in paint solvents.

However, the experts at Linköping University have ingeniously replaced it with water. The result? High-quality perovskite recycled from the water solution, without compromising efficiency or performance.

This breakthrough not only eliminates hazardous waste but also simplifies the recycling process, making large-scale implementation more feasible.

“We can recycle everything – covering glasses, electrodes, perovskite layers and also the charge transport layer,” said Xiao.

Sustainable solar economy

With plans to develop this method for larger scale use, the scientists are optimistic that perovskite solar cells will play a crucial role in future energy supply, once the proper infrastructure is established.

“We demonstrate that our recycling strategy can greatly alleviate the environmental burden of waste perovskite modules, especially for the human toxicity and resource depletion impacts, and also reduce the levelized cost of electricity,” wrote the researchers.

“This study demonstrates unique opportunities of holistic perovskite solar module recycling – which are barely possible for other PV technologies – for a sustainable and circular solar economy in the future.”

The full study was published in the journal Nature.

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