Singapore could see 5,000 tonnes of solar panel waste in next 2 years

Solar Damper SINGAPORE - As Singapore ramps up solar energy deployment to meet its growing clean energy needs, the issue of how to deal with solar panel waste is proving to be a challenge.

Dr Stanley Wang, co-founder and chief executive of solar tech firm EtaVolt, estimates that up to 5,000 tonnes of photovoltaic waste could be generated within the next two years, assuming that these solar panels are not recycled properly.Solar Damper

EtaVolt, a spin-off from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), works with firms to sustainably recycle their used solar panels and helps them determine when to upgrade to more efficient ones.Solar project DC motor

Photovoltaic waste could increase exponentially in a few years' time, said Dr Wang.

The country currently has a solar capacity of more than 630 megawatt-peak. It is aiming to ramp up solar energy deployment to at least two gigawatt-peak by 2030 as part of the Singapore Green Plan.Planetary gear motor,

Countries around the world have also been rapidly increasing their solar energy deployments amid a push for renewable energy, but this has led to solar panel waste.Solar tracker actuator

The latest report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) published in 2016 estimated that the world could face up to 78 million tonnes of photovoltaic waste by 2050.

Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, the executive director of the Energy Research Institute @ Nanyang Technological University (ERI@N), said cities like Singapore primarily deploy solar panels on rooftops.NMRV Series Worm Gear Reducer

As newer technologies become available, it makes sense for customers to upgrade their solar panels to higher-efficiency ones, said Prof Subodh.

NMRV Series Worm Gear Reducer Dr Wang said that while high-quality solar panels could have a lifespan of around 20 to 25 years, they are generally about 10 per cent to 15 per cent less efficient beyond the 10-year mark.