Circular Solutions: Assessing the Viability of Photovoltaic Waste Recycling in the United Kingdom

Ganpatsinh Parmar, Dharmesh; Muhammad Sukki, Firdaus; Abu-Bakar, Siti Hawa; Mas’ud, Abdullahi Abubakar; Kamarudin, Mohd Khairul Amri

Abstract

The demand for the generation of energy using photovoltaics (PV) has risen exponentially in recent times all over the world. The United Kingdom (UK) has also made a rapid increase in PV installations and is implementing more developing plans in the future as it is focusing on generating significant amount of electricity using photovoltaics. These PV installations will become waste in future. Hence, it is important to plan the end-of-life management of PV waste. This paper gives an insight into the current and future scenarios of PV waste recycling in the UK with literature reviews, discussions on recycling methods and cost benefit analysis. It shows a projection of PV waste in future, by exploring the installation of a recycling facility based on Full Recovery End of Life Photovoltaic (FRELP) method of recycling in Cornwall, UK. From the analysis, it was calculated that the recycling facility could generate total yearly revenue of £5,852,745.80 approximately with a profit of £92,435.14.

Citation

Ganpatsinh Parmar, D., Muhammad Sukki, F., Abu-Bakar, S. H., Mas’ud, A. A., & Kamarudin, M. K. A. (2024). Circular Solutions: Assessing the Viability of Photovoltaic Waste Recycling in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, 15(5), 240-249. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijesd.2024.15.5.1492

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 1, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 26, 2024
• Publication Date: Sep 26, 2024
• Deposit Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Science and Development
• Print ISSN: 2010-0264
• Electronic ISSN: 2972-3698
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 240-249
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.18178/ijesd.2024.15.5.1492
• Keywords: photovoltaic; photovoltaic waste; cost-benefit analysis
• Publisher URL: https://www.ijesd.org/show-201-2065-1.html