Chapter 9
Sustainable Attainment of Solar E-waste
Recycling Concerning to COVID-19
Crisis: A Review
Nidhi Jariwala and Jaykumar Soni
Abstract Solar energy is looked at as a critical component to fight against increased
climate change. It is seen as the green solution for the increased demand in energy,
but the problems that will occur after 20–30 years when these solar panels have to be
disposed of are seldom considered. Due to increased growth in the development and
utilization of solar energy resources, the disposal of waste solar panels has become
problematic. Photovoltaic systems are in the lead because they are cost-effective, and
it has increased efficiency. All these systems are expected to produce much e-waste
by the end of their life cycle. Currently, the research is focused on how to increase the
efficiency of solar panels rather than focusing on the disassembling and recycling of
the panels. By recycling silicon-based solar panels, valuable metals within the panels
can be recovered instead of lost to the landfill. Proper disposal of many compounds
is not yet discovered; hence they are landfilled without any treatment, which causes
harm to the environment. The environmental policies constrict market projections for
Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Photovoltaic (PV) because Cadmium has Carcinogenic
properties. This paper aims to review the present and upcoming or subsequent recycling technologies for solar panels and produce a recycling technology that is most
sustainable and likely to be acquired in the coming years. Although these technologies require advanced techniques and enhanced improvement before execution, when
all these progressive technologies are combined, they will provide better recycling
options for the generated solar e-waste.
Keywords Solar e-waste · Solar energy systems · Solar panels · Disposal ·
Sustainability
N. Jariwala (B) · J. Soni
Civil Engineering Department, L. J. Institute of Engineering and Technology, LJK University,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
e-mail: jariwalanidhi009@gmail.com
J. Soni
e-mail: jay.soni_ljiet@ljinstitutes.edu.in
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
C. Chakraborty et al. (eds.), The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Green Societies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66490-9_9
211
Sustainable Attainment of Solar E-waste
Recycling Concerning to COVID-19
Crisis: A Review
Nidhi Jariwala and Jaykumar Soni
Abstract Solar energy is looked at as a critical component to fight against increased
climate change. It is seen as the green solution for the increased demand in energy,
but the problems that will occur after 20–30 years when these solar panels have to be
disposed of are seldom considered. Due to increased growth in the development and
utilization of solar energy resources, the disposal of waste solar panels has become
problematic. Photovoltaic systems are in the lead because they are cost-effective, and
it has increased efficiency. All these systems are expected to produce much e-waste
by the end of their life cycle. Currently, the research is focused on how to increase the
efficiency of solar panels rather than focusing on the disassembling and recycling of
the panels. By recycling silicon-based solar panels, valuable metals within the panels
can be recovered instead of lost to the landfill. Proper disposal of many compounds
is not yet discovered; hence they are landfilled without any treatment, which causes
harm to the environment. The environmental policies constrict market projections for
Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Photovoltaic (PV) because Cadmium has Carcinogenic
properties. This paper aims to review the present and upcoming or subsequent recycling technologies for solar panels and produce a recycling technology that is most
sustainable and likely to be acquired in the coming years. Although these technologies require advanced techniques and enhanced improvement before execution, when
all these progressive technologies are combined, they will provide better recycling
options for the generated solar e-waste.
Keywords Solar e-waste · Solar energy systems · Solar panels · Disposal ·
Sustainability
N. Jariwala (B) · J. Soni
Civil Engineering Department, L. J. Institute of Engineering and Technology, LJK University,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
e-mail: jariwalanidhi009@gmail.com
J. Soni
e-mail: jay.soni_ljiet@ljinstitutes.edu.in
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
C. Chakraborty et al. (eds.), The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Green Societies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66490-9_9
211