PV Silicon Recovery for Lithium Ion Battery Anodes

Abstract

As solar photovoltaic (PV) devices across the globe reach the end of their approximately 30-year lifetimes, an emerging challenge is how to handle the waste from large volumes of end-of-life (EOL) PV modules. It is projected that the cumulative mass of EOL PV modules could be up to 8 million tonnes (Mt) by 2030 so recovery of high value materials from these EOL modules through a cost efficient recycling process would minimize environmental impacts compared to disposing them in landfills[1]. A typical recycling process for EOL PV modules involves mechanical disassembly, separation of the tempered cover glass and silicon wafer followed by purification and recovery of other constituents such as Pb or Ag with the goal of reinstating the recovered materials as a PV module. However, since new module prices continue to decline and the recovered PV modules typically have a shorter lifetime and lower efficiency, the economic value of using the recovered PV materials to manufacture a new PV module is uncertain[2]. Since silicon, particularly boron-doped, is a promising candidate for next-generation anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIB), recovering the silicon from PV modules for use in LIB anodes could be an attractive alternative. In this study we leverage the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)’s expertise in PV Si reliability and access to multiple types of EOL PV modules to study the merits of B-doped silicon recovery from silicon PV panels with regard to silicon anode cycling performance and calendar life. A simple ball milling process was developed to prepare recycled Si from EOL PV modules for use as in a LIB anode. In this talk we will be discussing the recovery efficiency, purification requirements and key anode performance metrics of recycled PV silicon materials. IRENA, I.-P., End-of-Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels 2016: International Renewable Energy Agency and International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems.A. Wade, P.S., K. Drozdiak, E. Brutsch. Beyond Waste – The Fate of End-of-Life Photovoltaic Panels from Large Scale PV Installations in the EU. The Socio-Economic Benefits of High Value Recycling Compared to Re-Use. in 33rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition. 2017.