Companies are expanding solar panel recycling capacity as early installations reach end of life. Recent openings and funding signal growing industry momentum in the United States and Europe. Policy changes are also underway to support higher recovery rates.
SolarCycle opened a high-throughput facility in Georgia this year that recovers about 96 percent of a panel’s value. The plant aims to scale toward processing up to 5 gigawatts of panels annually. We Recycle Solar operates a utility-scale plant in Yuma, Arizona, and plans to quadruple capacity by 2028.
Rosi, a French company, recently raised more than $20 million to build a 10,000-ton-per-year facility in Spain. It uses thermal and chemical processes to recover high-purity silicon and silver. First Solar continues its closed-loop recycling program that has operated since 2005.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to propose rules adding retired solar panels to its universal waste category in February 2026, with a final rule expected in August 2027. Several states including Washington and California already have their own programs in place.
Recycling costs have fallen 42 percent over the past three years according to industry analysis. The United States currently recycles about 10 percent of decommissioned panels, compared with 85 percent in the European Union.
