There has in the previous couple of years been a concerted push from policymakers and thought leaders in India to transition to a round financial system to, amongst different issues, allow efficient waste management. However, waste management within the solar photovoltaic sector nonetheless lacks clear directives.
At the identical time, there have been attention-grabbing coverage bulletins and initiatives vis-a-vis photovoltaic waste management, particularly since final yr. For instance, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change’s revised digital waste (e-waste) management Rules in 2022 introduced solar photovoltaic cells, panels, and modules below its ambit. Similarly, the Green Credit Programme below the Environmental Protection Act, introduced within the 2022-2023 Union Budget, aimed to advertise inexperienced development and sustainable practices. While these measures are noteworthy, have we thought by way of the efficient dealing with of photovoltaic waste in India?
What is photovoltaic waste?
Globally, India stands fourth in solar photovoltaic deployment. India’s solar energy put in capability had reached practically 62 GW by November 2022. While that is definitely encouraging, it additionally augurs a colossal quantity of solar photovoltaic waste in future. According to a 2016 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, India might generate 50,000-3,25,000 tonnes of cumulative photovoltaic waste by 2030 and greater than 4 million tonnes by 2050. In truth, India is predicted to change into one of many high 5 main photovoltaic waste producers globally by 2045-2050.
India’s solar photovoltaic installations are dominated by crystalline silicon (c-Si) know-how. A typical photovoltaic panel is made up of 93% of c-Si modules and seven% of cadmium telluride (CdTe) skinny movie modules. A c-Si module primarily consists of a glass sheet, an aluminium body, an encapsulant, a backsheet, copper wires, and silicon wafers. The metals used to fabricate c-Si modules are silver, tin, and lead. The CdTe skinny movie module is fabricated from glass, encapsulant, and compound semiconductor.
Is this waste recovered or recycled?
As these photovoltaic panels attain their finish of lives, some parts of the body are extracted and offered as scrap; junctions and cables are recycled in line with e-waste tips; the glass laminate is partly recycled; and the remainder is disposed of as normal waste. Silicon and silver will be extracted by burning the module in cement furnaces. According to a 2021 report, roughly 50% of whole supplies will be recovered by way of such waste management and recycling processes.
India’s challenge is the rising casual dealing with of photovoltaic waste. Only about 20% of the waste is recovered usually; the remainder is handled informally. As a consequence, the waste usually accumulates at landfills. Landfill disposal in flip causes acidification, leaching of poisonous metals (similar to lead and cadmium) into the soil, and contaminates the native water. Gradual incineration of the panel encapsulant additionally releases sulphur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen cyanide into the environment.
A view of the Bhalswa landfill in Delhi, December 7, 2022.
| Photo Credit:
Sushil Kumar Verma/The Hindu
This is why it’s unclear whether or not the setting ministry’s tips to incorporate solar photovoltaic waste as e-waste might result in an precise ban on landfills in India or offset the hostile affect on the setting.
With this in thoughts, India must surmount vital challenges – within the assortment, storage, recycling, and repurposing of photovoltaic waste. The rising quantity (and sizes) of India’s landfills is a signal of misinformation about and ignorance of applicable disposal practices amongst a number of actors and establishments throughout the provision chain, together with producers, house owners, customers, and waste disposal amenities.
Further, the market to repurpose or reuse recycled photovoltaic waste is minuscule in India due to a lack of appropriate incentives and schemes during which companies can make investments. The absence of a physique to measure, monitor, and report solar photovoltaic waste isn’t serving to both.
How produce other international locations responded?
The strategies different international locations have adopted to handle solar photovoltaic waste may very well be a good reference level for India to develop ‘Made in India’ manufacturing capabilities, recycling applied sciences, and waste management methods on this discipline. Many Western and Asian economies have well-established regulatory tips for photovoltaic waste management and are actively investing in constructing consciousness on efficient waste management practices.
For instance, the European Union’s ‘Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive’ makes producers answerable for safely and responsibly disposing of end-of-life photovoltaic panels.
In the U.S., states have the liberty to determine their very own solar photovoltaic regulatory requirements. Its National Renewable Energy Laboratory can also be exploring methods to spice up the round financial system within the solar photovoltaic sector.
Manufacturers in Japan are answerable for creating environment-friendly recycling applied sciences by way of public-private partnerships and launching consciousness campaigns about their advantages.
China has launched an implementation plan for life-cycle management and to enhance the useful resource effectivity of solar photovoltaic panels. Chinese researchers are additionally creating recycling processes to recuperate silicon from end-of-life panels and course of them again into solar wafers.
What are the gaps in India’s PV waste management?
First, merely clubbing photovoltaic waste with different e-waste might result in confusion. Instead, India ought to formulate and implement provisions particular to photovoltaic waste remedy inside the ambit of the e-waste tips. The authorities also needs to construct a legislative framework to implement the Extended Producer Responsibility Rules. And a Central insurance coverage or a regulatory physique must be set as much as shield in opposition to monetary losses incurred in waste assortment and remedy.
Second, the waste generated from photovoltaic modules and their parts is assessed as ‘hazardous waste’ in India. To additional drive house the need of this label, pan-India sensitisation drives and consciousness programmes on photovoltaic waste management will likely be helpful. Clear recycling targets and recycling charges within the photovoltaic waste management coverage directive will likely be good as nicely.
Third, contemplating India’s native solar photovoltaic-panel manufacturing is proscribed, we have to pay extra consideration to home R&D efforts. Depending on a single module sort will disuniformly deplete sure pure sources and stunt the native capability for recycling and restoration of crucial supplies. The home improvement of photovoltaic waste recycling applied sciences have to be promoted by way of appropriate regulatory incentives, recycling programmes, applicable infrastructure amenities, and ample funding.
Why ought to India act now?
It is encouraging that the newest production-linked incentive scheme promotes the home manufacturing of high-efficiency solar photovoltaic modules. Considering the speed at which these panels are being put in across the nation, India is predicted to generate an infinite quantity of waste over the following 15-20 years.
Now is the precise time for it to put in clear coverage directives, well-established recycling methods, and better collaboration, in order that it doesn’t discover itself neck-deep in a new drawback in future.
Anjali Taneja is Senior Policy Specialist and Lead of Cross-Sectoral Initiatives and Khushboo Garg is Consultant with the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy’s (CSTEP’s) Strategic Studies Sector.
