Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules
Solar energy has gained prominence because of the increasing global attention received by renewable energies. This shift can be attributed to advancements and innovations in solar cell technology, which include developments of various photovoltaic materials, such as thin film and tandem solar cells,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/11/4327 |
| _version_ | 1827739568075440128 |
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| author | Jongwon Ko Kyunghwan Kim Ji Woo Sohn Hongjun Jang Hae-Seok Lee Donghwan Kim Yoonmook Kang |
| author_facet | Jongwon Ko Kyunghwan Kim Ji Woo Sohn Hongjun Jang Hae-Seok Lee Donghwan Kim Yoonmook Kang |
| author_sort | Jongwon Ko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar energy has gained prominence because of the increasing global attention received by renewable energies. This shift can be attributed to advancements and innovations in solar cell technology, which include developments of various photovoltaic materials, such as thin film and tandem solar cells, in addition to silicon-based solar cells. The latter is the most widely commercialized type of solar cell because of its exceptional durability, long-term stability, and high photoconversion efficiency; consequently, the demand for Si solar cells has been consistently increasing. PV modules are designed for an operation lifespan of 25–30 years, which has led to a gradual increase in the number of end-of-life PV modules. The appropriate management of both end-of-life and prematurely failed PV modules is critical for the recovery and separation of valuable and hazardous materials. Effective methods for end-of-life PV waste management are necessary to minimize their environmental impact and facilitate transition to a more sustainable and circular economy. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the separation processes for silicon PV modules and summarizes the attempts to design easily recyclable modules for sustainable solar module development. Based on the studies summarized in this paper, suggestions are provided for future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:08:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57fb15142cff4e3c8866dad1d07baf60 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:08:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-57fb15142cff4e3c8866dad1d07baf602023-11-18T07:47:21ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-05-011611432710.3390/en16114327Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic ModulesJongwon Ko0Kyunghwan Kim1Ji Woo Sohn2Hongjun Jang3Hae-Seok Lee4Donghwan Kim5Yoonmook Kang6Department of Materials and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Materials and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Materials and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaGraduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST Green School), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaGraduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST Green School), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Materials and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaGraduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST Green School), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of KoreaSolar energy has gained prominence because of the increasing global attention received by renewable energies. This shift can be attributed to advancements and innovations in solar cell technology, which include developments of various photovoltaic materials, such as thin film and tandem solar cells, in addition to silicon-based solar cells. The latter is the most widely commercialized type of solar cell because of its exceptional durability, long-term stability, and high photoconversion efficiency; consequently, the demand for Si solar cells has been consistently increasing. PV modules are designed for an operation lifespan of 25–30 years, which has led to a gradual increase in the number of end-of-life PV modules. The appropriate management of both end-of-life and prematurely failed PV modules is critical for the recovery and separation of valuable and hazardous materials. Effective methods for end-of-life PV waste management are necessary to minimize their environmental impact and facilitate transition to a more sustainable and circular economy. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the separation processes for silicon PV modules and summarizes the attempts to design easily recyclable modules for sustainable solar module development. Based on the studies summarized in this paper, suggestions are provided for future research.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/11/4327renewable energyphotovoltaic (PV) modulerecyclingsilicon solar cellseparationrecovery |
| spellingShingle | Jongwon Ko Kyunghwan Kim Ji Woo Sohn Hongjun Jang Hae-Seok Lee Donghwan Kim Yoonmook Kang Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules Energies renewable energy photovoltaic (PV) module recycling silicon solar cell separation recovery |
| title | Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules |
| title_full | Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules |
| title_fullStr | Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules |
| title_full_unstemmed | Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules |
| title_short | Review on Separation Processes of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules |
| title_sort | review on separation processes of end of life silicon photovoltaic modules |
| topic | renewable energy photovoltaic (PV) module recycling silicon solar cell separation recovery |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/11/4327 |
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