What Happens When Solar Panels Are Thrown Away?
The solar industry is booming. Across rooftops, deserts, and fields, panels are being installed at record pace to meet ambitious renewable energy goals. But there’s a challenge the industry is only beginning to face: what happens when these panels stop producing power? Solar panels typically last 20–30 years, meaning the first generation of large-scale installations is already approaching retirement. By the 2030s, millions of tons of solar panels will reach end-of-life each year. Without a plan, many of them risk ending up in landfills or being processed by unregulated facilities that don’t properly handle the materials inside. This is the [...]
