Solar Panel Manufacturing Research Articles

Efficient Recovery of Silver and Aluminum from End-of-Life Photovoltaics: A Two-Step Leaching Approach

Recycling solar panels is crucial to mitigating the environmental impact of the growing volume of end-of-life photovoltaic waste and to conserve valuable resources, while achieving high purity in recovered materials ensures their effective reuse in the manufacturing of new solar panels, contributing to a sustainable and circular economy. This study proposes a two-step leaching process to recover Ag and Al from the silicon fraction of EoL photovoltaics (PVs). In the first-stage laboratory scale tests, 99% Al was extracted using 5% HCl at room temperature (19 °C) for 3 h The Al was precipitated as oxide from the solution. The silicon residue was then leached with 0.5 M HNO3 at 85 °C for 2 h, extracting 99% Ag and producing Si with 99.83% purity. The silver was precipitated to produce metallic Ag with >99.9% purity. Then, 95.63% of Pb in the nitric acid effluent was removed using ion exchange resins. Further, methods to mitigate the effluent solutions were recommended and the entire process was presented in a flowsheet.

Prominent solution for solar panel defect detection using AI-based computer vision technology with IoT sensors in the solar panel manufacturing industry

Prominent solution for solar panel defect detection using AI-based computer vision technology with IoT sensors in the solar panel manufacturing industry

Sourcing renewable energy components: building resilient supply chains, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers, and enhancing energy security

The transition to renewable energy is essential for mitigating climate change and ensuring long-term energy security. As global demand for renewable energy technologies grows, establishing resilient supply chains becomes crucial. This paper examines strategies to build robust supply chains, reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, and enhance energy security. A major challenge in renewable energy is the dependence on a limited number of international suppliers, which risks supply disruptions due to geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, or natural disasters. Diversifying suppliers can mitigate these risks by encouraging alternative suppliers and fostering competition (Smith, 2020). Local manufacturing is another critical strategy, promoting supply chain resilience, economic growth, and job creation. Countries like the United States and Germany have incentivized local manufacturing of solar panels and wind turbine components (Jones, 2021), ensuring a steady supply of parts and aligning with broader industrial policies. Maintaining strategic reserves of critical materials, such as rare earth elements and lithium, is essential for buffering against supply disruptions and price volatility, ensuring continuous production of renewable energy technologies (Brown, 2019). Strategic planning and investment in reserves are vital for a comprehensive energy security strategy. Technological innovation enhances supply chain resilience. Advances in materials science, manufacturing processes, and recycling technologies can reduce dependence on scarce materials and improve renewable energy system efficiency. Developing alternative materials for battery storage, for example, can reduce reliance on lithium and cobalt sourced from unstable regions (White, 2022). Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are crucial for advancing the renewable energy sector. By leveraging both sectors' strengths, PPPs can accelerate technology deployment, improve infrastructure, and foster innovation. Successful examples include government-private collaborations on offshore wind farms and smart grid technologies (Green & Associates, 2021). Favorable trade policies facilitate the global exchange of renewable energy technologies and components. Reducing tariffs, streamlining customs, and fostering international cooperation can enhance supply chain efficiency and reliability (Lee, 2020). This study advocates for trade agreements tailored to the renewable energy sector's needs. Integrated energy systems and smart grid technologies optimize renewable energy use and distribution. Advanced monitoring and control systems improve grid stability, reduce energy waste, and enhance renewable source integration (Adams, 2019). Investment in smart grid infrastructure is crucial for a resilient energy strategy. Robust policy frameworks are necessary to support these initiatives. Governments must enact policies providing clear guidance, incentives, and support for resilient renewable energy supply chains, including ambitious renewable energy targets, financial incentives for R&D, and regulatory stability (Martinez, 2021).

“We struggle to survive”: Exploring the whole systems energy injustices of solar photovoltaics in India

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are among the cheapest forms of energy globally and one of the most effective options for mitigating the climate crisis in the electricity sector. In 2023, solar PV accounted for roughly 75 % of renewable power capacity additions globally, and capacity is expected to grow 20-fold by 2050. However, the political ecologies of solar power are uneven. Throughout the value chain, there are numerous social and environmental injustices experienced by laborers and in communities that are converted to sacrifice zones for sustainable development. Despite being the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India is developing solar infrastructures at a rapid pace to mitigate the climate crisis. Drawn from a rich collection of original data—household surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and naturalistic observation across various sites—in this study, we investigate perceptions by laborers of the hidden injustices of solar energy at multiple nodes of the solar PV lifecycle or value chain: silica mining (Uttar Pradesh), solar panel manufacturing (Karnataka), solar park development (Rajasthan), solar park operation (Rajasthan), e-waste (Delhi) and recycling (Tamil Nadu). We conclude with novel findings and urgent recommendations for future policy and research on India’s solar PV value chain.

Waste solar panel generation in Viet Nam: waste estimation and management orientation

Solar energy has emerged as a prominent solution to address the rising energy needs of expanding populations and combat climate change. While the advancement and proliferation of solar photovoltaics have significantly contributed to the decarbonization of energy systems, the improper disposal of end-of-life solar panels could potentially result in significant environmental impacts. Moreover, lack of or inadequate information on the quantity of the obsolete solar panels and their related environmental impacts, as well as proper incentives, and regulatory policies on waste solar panel management are major hinderances for the safe disposal of waste solar panels their materials. In this case study, surveys at solar panel manufacturers, solar power plants and rooftop solar systems have been conducted. The collected information and data are then used to derive solar panel’s lifespan and estimate the amount of waste solar panel till 2050. It is estimated that the cumulative amount of waste solar panel generated in 2022 is about 148 thousand tonnes and is projected to increase to 1.7 million tonnes by 2050. Based on that, sound management solutions toward circular economy have been proposed to properly manage waste solar panel in Vietnam.

Analogical environmental cost assessment of silicon flows used in solar panels by the US and China

Achieving carbon neutrality requires deployment of large-scale renewable energy technologies like solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Nevertheless, methods to ascertain the overall environmental impacts PVs and further improve their sustainability are under-investigated. In an effort to provide more understanding of this crucial topic, this research focuses on silicon flows—a key element for manufacturing crystalline silicon PVs. Using system dynamics modeling, we conduct a comprehensive environmental cost assessment of the silicon flows used in PVs based on a comparative analysis between the United States and China as the leading global PV manufacturers. Despite the advancement in wafer quality, material usage reductions and overall price decreases achieved in recent decades, our results project a substantial increase in energy and water consumption in China related to Metallurgical Grade Si (MG-Si), Solar Grade Si (SoG-Si) and cell manufacturing by 2030. An approximate 6.5 times increase of energy and water consumption is observed for c-Si cell manufacturing in China between 2010 and 2020. In 2030, increases of 70% in energy consumption and 69% in water use are estimated for Chinese MG-Si and SoG-Si production. The most significant environmental impact is observed in silicon cell and module manufacturing in both countries, particularly concerning GHG, SOx and NOx emissions. This study provides valuable insights into the environmental impacts of these two major solar panel manufacturing countries by examining the silicon life cycle, from production to end-of-life.

Proposal of a Process for selection solar cells Nanosatellite

By the PEDAGOSAT project we aim to democratize all educational activities related to CubeSat-class: nanosatellite, from physics through engineering, technical achievements, integration, to testing and operations to the greatest number of students. The key idea is to eventually have our academic nanosatellite training platform offering an open source opportunity to Algerians universities, and having the capacity to cover all engineer training areas relating to "small satellites". As part of this project, some satellite subsystems, test and emulation facilities will be realized, processes and procedures for testing and integration related to space technology will be addressed, implemented and even mastered. The presented work is part of the development of the on-board power system, and covers the selection of solar cells for the manufacture of solar panels of this satellite. The main source of energy present in space is solar energy, it a continuous and inexhaustible source that a satellite can. In satellite we use a solar panel to ensure its operation. In the dimensioning of a satellite, it is essential to identify these electrical power requirements named “power budget analysis”. Indeed, this makes it possible to determine the number of cells and/solar panels to be installed to guarantee the power continuity of the satellite in sunlight phase of its orbit by recharging its batteries and feeding equipment’s. During all the mission duration; from the beginning of life (BOL) after the launch to it deorbits (EOL) to disintegrate in the atmosphere. For the PEDAGO-SAT as for other satellites, it will be necessary to verify the parameters and physical characteristics of the solar cells/panels according to certified procedures and methodologies in order to be able to pronounce on their qualification for aerospace use. In this context, we propose a low-cost process revision to be able to carry out qualification tests with an accessible facility in the university labs. This revision will also concern the development of homemade means and software that fit the investments that may be made by the Algerian research and academic facilities. As illustrated in this paper a performance evaluation of low-cost solar cells was done using the developed solution and the selected cells will be integrated in the solar panels of PEDAGOSAT.

Household Customers’ Satisfaction towards Solar Energy in Rupandehi District

This paper aims to evaluate household customer satisfaction towards solar energy in Rupandehi district, Nepal. In order to address research issues, the study used questionnaire survey among 105 respondents during February to April, 2023. Multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate household customers’ satisfaction based on characteristics of the product, customer services, contribution of the product and government support criteria. The research results showed that characteristics of the solar panel product (efficiency, durability convenient to use, price and quality) are highly concerning satisfaction criterion. Based on the results obtained of this study, it is concluded that there are high opportunities to manufacturers and solar panel service providers to keep their household customers satisfied by providing effective after sales service. Although, contribution of the solar panel energy towards energy needs of household customers is the less concerning criterion. There is large area for expansion to be made to increase solar energy market through the proper government initiation. The main implication of this study is that manufacturers should attention while designing, pricing and producing solar energy products to satisfy their customers for a long time. The results obtained may be useful to solar panel manufacturers, service providers, government authorities and researchers.

Strategic Minerals for Climate Change and the Energy Transition: The Mining Contribution of Colombia

To transition to carbon neutrality by the year 2050, copper, lithium, rare earths, cobalt, nickel, and silver are essential due to their use in the manufacture of electric cars, lithium batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, motors, and electrical wiring. The main goal of this study is to carry out a mining approach of the prospective areas of Colombia with strategic minerals for energy transition and climate change, analyzing the geospatial location, mining rights, mineral extraction, and royalty collection. Open data from SGC, ANM, and SIMCO geoportals were consulted. The prospective areas totaled 311,535.2 km2, equivalent to 27.3% of Colombia, and were located mainly in the Andes Mountains. The total area of mining rights and applications with strategic minerals for the energy transition is 112,802.2 km2 or 9.9% of Colombia, representing 5731 rights and 3939 applications. From 2012 to 2023, 448,330 tons of nickel, 172.9 tons of silver, and 171.6 tons of copper were mined in Colombia, which has contributed USD 513,140,286 as royalties to the state. No royalties have been earned from the extraction of rare earths, lithium, or cobalt. Fulfilling the Paris Agreement is possible with new sustainable mining projects of strategic minerals.

Initial steps towards a robotic solution for the manufacturing and assembly of thin-film space solar arrays

Print-assisted photovoltaic panel assembly (PAPPA), a novel printed electronic process presented herein, uses additive manufacturing to print flexible paneling components around commercial off-the-shelf thin-film solar cells. This builds a fully functional, flexible solar panel, suitable for space environments, via an automated process. Currently, thin-film space solar panels are manufactured via the compilation of piece parts by hand. In contrast PAPPA automates the labor-intensive paneling process. The advantages are twofold: (i) near-term: solar panel cost reduction alongside the enablement of very large-scale production and (ii) long-term: builds towards a capability for in-space solar panel manufacturing. Herein, details of the process, proof-of-concept functional testing, and implications for further development and application are presented.

Energy Efficiency and Material Cost Savings by Evolution of Solar Panels Used in Photovoltaic Systems under Neutrosophic Model


 Traditional applications of solar panels have been limited to smaller-scale energy production, such as that required by single houses or apartment complexes. Researchers from all around the globe have been working together to develop creative, efficient goods, increase the energy efficiency of solar panels, and build new, ground-breaking practices using photovoltaic system design. Solar photovoltaic (PV) system planning demands a strategic decision-making approach to socioeconomic growth in many nations due to the rising understanding of the financial, social, and ecological aspects. The primary goal of this study is to provide a novel, adaptable method of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) for government decision-makers (DMs) to use in evaluating solar PV panel manufacturers using various variables. This paper used the single-valued neutrosophic set to deal with the vague data. The neutrosophic set is used with the Characteristic Objects Method (COMET). The COMET method is an MCDM method. It is used to compute the rank of alternatives. The application of the proposed method is introduced with eleven criteria and ten solar panels in PV.

Green innovation downturn: The role of imperfect competition

We use strategic interactions to analyze the role of China’s state-subsidized production expansion in the recent downturn in solar photovoltaics innovation. To that end, we develop a dynamic game model in which N solar panel manufacturers compete in price and invest in cost-reducing research. The resulting Nash equilibrium displays an inverted U relationship between a manufacturer’s market share and its research effort. In the case where a local firm is competing against a foreign state-subsidized one, we obtain analytical and numerical results that are consistent with three stylized facts: (i) the foreign manufacturer progressively expands to become the dominant player, (ii) competition and innovation bring marginal costs down to zero, and (iii) each manufacturer’s research effort follows an increasing-then-decreasing curve. At a policy level, our model shows that national technology-push policies, such as R&D subsidies, can affect foreign innovation by changing the structure of global competition.

Fault-related feature discrimination network for cell partitioning and defect classification in real-time solar panel manufacturing

During the production of energy using photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar cells may be affected by different environmental aspects, which cause many defects in the solar cells. Such defects should be identified and categorized to improve energy productivity. Most recent studies developed many deep learning models to categorize solar cell defects, whereas tiny defects were not categorized due to the blurry and overlapping edges. Hence, this paper develops an effective deep-learning model of cell partitioning and defect classification to satisfy the criteria for solar panel manufacturing monitoring. At first, the low-resolution solar cell images are enriched into super-resolved images using the improved super-resolved adversarial network. Then, those images are passed to the novel deep feature discrimination network, which extracts fault-related characteristics from the solar cell images. Those characteristics are further fed to the softmax classifier to categorize the defected or non-defected solar cell images. Moreover, a new mixture of error functions is used for fine-tuning and rapid convergence. Further, a detection bias and compensation in missed faults that limit the model accuracy are found to be unaffected by the categorization of defected/non-defected panels in a real-time manufacturing unit. Finally, assigning certain forecasting standards for various faults categories, the overall test analysis using solar cell images on 5 days exhibits that the presented model attains a maximum accuracy of 99.91% compared to the classical deep learning models. So, this model has a high probability to be used in a real manufacturing unit.

Reshoring silicon photovoltaics manufacturing contributes to decarbonization and climate change mitigation

The globalized supply chain for crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) panels is increasingly fragile, as the now-mundane freight crisis and other geopolitical risks threaten to postpone major PV projects. Here, we study and report the results of climate change implications of reshoring solar panel manufacturing as a robust and resilient strategy to reduce reliance on foreign PV panel supplies. We project that if the U.S. could fully bring c-Si PV panel manufacturing back home by 2035, the estimated greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption would be 30% and 13% lower, respectively, than having relied on global imports in 2020, as solar power emerges as a major renewable energy source. If the reshored manufacturing target is achieved by 2050, the climate change and energy impacts would be further reduced by 33% and 17%, compared to the 2020 level. The reshored manufacturing demonstrates significant progress in domestic competitiveness and toward decarbonization goals, and the positive reductions in climate change impacts align with the climate target.

Demanding Innovation: The Impact of Consumer Subsidies on Solar Panel Production Costs

Private sector innovation is critical to mitigating and adapting to climate change. This paper studies innovation in solar energy technology, a key source of clean energy that has experienced rapid price declines over the past decade. To understand the causes and effects of innovation, I estimate a dynamic structural model of competition among solar panel manufacturers. The model captures important features of the industry, including the role of government subsidies for solar adoption, and I employ a unique measure of technological progress that is observable and verifiable. The results produce two main insights. First, ignoring innovation by firms can generate biased estimates of the effects of government policy. Second, decentralized government intervention in a global market generates spillovers; a subsidy in one country causes international firms to innovate more, leading to lower prices and increased adoption elsewhere. This spillover underscores the need for international coordination by governments and the private sector to address climate change. This paper was accepted by Erica Plambeck, Special Section of Management Science on Business and Climate Change. Funding: The author acknowledges support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship Assistance Agreement FP-91769401-0] and Harvard [Joseph Crump Fellowship]. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4662 .

The ‘wicked trinity’ of late capitalism: Governing in an era of stagnation, surplus humanity, and environmental breakdown

Scholars within the fields of political ecology, environmental political theory, and international political economy tend to evaluate the prospects of state-led environmental transitions in general terms – enquiring as to the capitalist state’s inherent properties and their environmental implications. Less attention has been paid to how the state’s green capacities are conditioned by contemporary evolutions in the form and pace of capital accumulation. Capitalism’s directional pattern of historical development poses unique challenges for green state projects. Its drive to raise labour productivity metabolises nature on a growing scale, while generating conditions of overproduction and rendering a progressively larger portion of the population superfluous to the production process.Thus, the question is not simply whether the state can rise to the challenge of climate change, but rather how states are scrambling to govern the intersecting crises of climate catastrophe, economic stagnation, and surplus humanity. This ‘wicked trinity’ compounds the tensions at the heart of the capitalist state, resulting in an increasing inability to perform its role while sustaining its liberal form. This governance trilemma is illustrated by the case of the solar photovoltaic boom, where the spectacular increase in the productivity and scale of solar panel manufacturing have generated oversupply and falling profitability. States have reacted by indefinitely providing subsidies, financing automation technologies thatexacerbate labour superfluity, and relocating solar panel manufacturing to places with authoritarian labour regimes. The case of photovoltaics is a microcosm of the general predicament faced by states as they struggle to govern capitalism’s secular developmental tendencies.

Pembuatan, Pelatihan Perawatan, dan Perbaikan Panel Surya Cell di Proklim Karangmojo Weru Sukoharjo

Development of climate change within the community to increase public awareness about climate change which is increasingly real. The government, through the pro-climate competition, hopes that there will be more understanding and awareness to save the environment. In the proklim competition, it is necessary to have environmentally friendly technology, one of which is a solar cell. Polytechnic Indonusa Surakarta through the MBKM program. Students conduct training, maintenance, and repair of solar cell panels at Proklim Karangmojo Weru Sukoharjo. This is done so that the Karangmojo Proklim won the championship at the national level proklim competition while at the same time increasing public awareness of climate change and also increasing public knowledge about solar cell technology. The method used is a survey, planning, manufacturing, maintenance, and repair of solar panels. The results obtained are solar panels installed properly and running according to plan.

Measurement of degradation of solar panels induced by damp heat

Currently the generation of electricity is carried out, mainly, from the combustion of fossil fuels; which contributes to the emission of pollutants such as SOx, NOx, CO, PM10, PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOC) that affect air quality. Solar energy is an alternative for the generation of clean energy through the use of solar panels, which convert the energy they receive from sunlight into electrical energy for human use. It is cheaper and more viable, since the sun is readily available. Solar panels are built from an element called silicon, which is involved in the process of creating electrical energy. The objective of this study was to characterize the resistance to degradation of solar panels exposed to the damp heat test using the IEC 61646 Standard. The results obtained contribute to the quality assurance of the solar panel manufacturing process, which is of vital importance. and knowledge of their useful life.

Upcycling of silicon scrap collected from photovoltaic cell manufacturing process for lithium-ion batteries via transferred arc thermal plasma

As the supply of photovoltaic industry products increases rapidly, measures to solve the upcoming related waste problem are urgently required. In particular, the fabrication process of Si wafers leads to significant Si scrap residue, and approximately 40% of crystalline Si ingots are wasted as Si scrap. Here, a feasibility study was conducted to investigate the recycling of Si scrap waste collected during the solar panel manufacturing process using the transferred arc thermal plasma. Si-NP with a particle size of 100 nm or less applicable as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) was successfully upcycled by the transferable arc thermal plasma method, and the developed LIB showed excellent electrochemical performance. Si-NPs electrodes show a discharge capacity of 2920 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, and 2167 mAh g−1 at 0.4 A g−1. In addition, silicon-graphite (Si-G) composites were also prepared to improve the electrochemical properties of LIBs. Furthermore, the possible pros and cons of the method proposed in this study were discussed including economic evaluation. These results show that the transferred arc thermal plasma is a simple, eco-friendly, and cost-effective method of upcycling Si-NPs anode material from Si scrap waste for high-performance LIBs.

Design and Cost Analysis of 100 MW Perovskite Solar Panel Manufacturing Process in Different Locations

Design and Cost Analysis of 100 MW Perovskite Solar Panel Manufacturing Process in Different Locations