Solar Panel Graveyard? Hanwha Opens First U.S. Recycling Line.

The U.S. solar industry has a looming waste problem. South Korea's Hanwha Solutions has now started the country's first large-scale recycling operation dedicated to solar panels at its factory in Georgia. The move targets a critical gap. Millions of solar panels installed over the last two decades are nearing the end of their 25-30 year lifespan. Without recycling, they risk ending up in landfills, potentially leaking harmful materials. Hanwha's new process recovers valuable raw materials. These include silver, copper, silicon and glass. The company says it can recycle over 95% of a panel's components. These materials can then be reused to manufacture new panels. The Georgia facility will initially recycle panels from Hanwha's own Qcells brand. The long-term plan is to accept used panels from other manufacturers and installers across the United States. Industry experts call this a necessary step. As solar power expands, managing retired panels is essential for the industry's environmental claims. Hanwha's project is a test case for building a circular economy in American clean energy.