Renewables

Greece’s first solar panel recycling machine installed in Crete

Greece first solar panel recycling machine Crete

Photo: Katheris

Published

March 28, 2025

Country

Comments

comments icon

0

Share

Published:

March 28, 2025

Country:

Comments:

comments icon

0

Share

Greek company Katheris said it installed the country’s first solar panel recycling machine. As one of few such endeavors in entire Southeastern Europe, the business move could contribute to the development of a lucrative market that would ease environmental and climate impact.

Repairing and recycling solar panels is limited, and landfilling is still a common practice throughout the world. Photovoltaic waste is expected to reach 4% to 14% of total electricity production capacity by 2030 and rise to as much as 60 to 80 million tons by 2050. Katheris, a recycling company based in Herakleion (Heraklion), the capital of Crete, Greece’s largest island, saw an opportunity in solar panel waste.

PV modules contain valuable materials, of which silver, crystalline silicon, aluminum and copper are the most valuable. There are also toxic heavy metals inside, a major environmental risk.

Before modular designs become standardized so panels can be dismantled easily, the development of a recycling market will likely remain slow. Landfilling is cheap when there are no strict regulations for such electronic waste, and recovering separate materials is costly.

Some recyclers just crush or pulverize the decommissioned or damaged photovoltaic devices. The material is then used for a different purpose. The value of separate raw materials is lost and the waste is downcycled rather than recycled or reused.

Solar panel recycling to prevent environmental devastation, save resources

Katheris said it has set up Greece’s first solar panel recycling machine. The company with 70 employees said it is evolving and expanding the range of materials that it handles and recovers.

“By recycling photovoltaic panels, we contribute to saving resources and preventing the devastating impact that the disposal of these materials can have on the environment,” the announcement reads.

Greece first solar panel recycling machine

Solutions other than landfilling necessary for billions of PV modules

There is some 2 TW of solar power systems installed in the world as the capacity has doubled in just two years. It means solutions are necessary for several billion PV modules that will reach the end of their operating life within 30 years.

Solar panel recycling is exceptionally important for the climate, and manufacturing expenses as well. Purifying silicon is an especially energy-intensive process, still largely conducted using fossil fuels, and the production of the remaining materials is comparable.

As for the rest of the region covered by Balkan Green Energy News, Romania is an important example with its solar panel industry grant program, as it includes funds for recycling activities.

Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

Regional Power Sector Exchange Western Balkans disitribution system operator dso grids ohrid giz

Third Regional Power Sector Exchange in Ohrid: Power grids at core of energy transition

30 May 2025 - The third Regional Power Sector Exchange of the Western Balkans gathered over 80 energy professionals from the Western Balkans

Maja Maćić, Balkans Platform Head at Alcazar Energy

Maja Maćić: Alcazar Energy expands presence in Western Balkans

30 May 2025 - Maja Maćić, executive manager of Alcazar Energy, said at Belgrade Energy Forum that construction activities for some projects would start as early as this year

two solar power plants egesa enerji vojvodina

Turkish Egesa Enerji to build two solar power plants in Serbia’s Vojvodina province

30 May 2025 - Turkish company Egesa Enerji has launched a project to build two solar power plants in Vojvodina, with a total nominal capacity of 8.6 MW

Green for Growth Fund partnership Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Sida

Green for Growth Fund launches partnership with Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

30 May 2025 - GGF and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency are expanding green lending in the Western Balkans and the EU's Eastern Neighborhood