SEIA approves SPR as solar panel recycling vendor

Salisbury, North Carolina-based SolarPanelRecycling.com (SPR) has been approved by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) as a recycling vendor for its National PV Recycling Program.

During the audit process, SEIA members assessed its procedures and technologies, including a tour and inspection of its facility in North Carolina. With many PV (photovoltaic) systems now starting to reach their end of life, SPR says SEIA is creating a robust recycling network which includes setting and implementing recycling standards to ensure the clean energy economy remains sustainable for years to come.

Based in Washington, SEIA provides due diligence for its 1,100-member network so the industry has access to compliant, cost-effective and transparent recycling services, and its auditing process includes a confirmation of insurance, regulatory compliance history, environmental permits, certifications and bonds, as well as analysis of site location suitability.

According to SPR, the audit also covers and evaluation of bills of lading showing all commodities recovered from solar equipment go directly to manufacturers consuming the resources, followed by an in-person tour to confirm complete and true recycling occurs in-house without any outsourcing or shipping of panels to unknown locations.

“Through our national recycling program, SEIA is helping to lead the industry in addressing recycling earlier than any other industry, while cost-effectively removing uncertainties for our members,” says Robert Nicholson, senior manager of sustainability at SEIA, who visited the SPR head facility. “Our in-depth audit of SolarPanelRecycling.com revealed a professionally managed, highly organized and clean operation that uses advanced technology for true recycling. With a downstream market for the materials it extracts, the company is an excellent fit for our National PV Recycling Program.”

SPR says its facilities employ “cutting-edge” recycling techniques to maximize the separation and reintroduction of high-purity and valuable materials back into the supply chain and divert them from landfills. The company claims its technology extracts nearly 100 percent of the value from recycled solar equipment, including silver, silicon, copper, aluminum and glass, adding that the industry standard for extraction is less than 20 percent.

At its hub in Texas that also serves as a “knowledge center,” the company performs research and development to further advance the recycling processes and sustainability standards for the solar industry. Additionally, the company invests in collaborations with academic institutions, industry partners and government agencies to further drive innovation.

“Our company was founded on the belief that not a single component of solar equipment should ever end up in the landfill,” says Brett Henderson, CEO of SPR. “That’s why we developed the most advanced technology for extracting and recovering materials from solar equipment, ensuring they are pure enough to have a second life. We welcomed the opportunity to invite SEIA representatives to our facility and showcase our cutting-edge recycling technology. While we were already confident in the high standards of our process, we are honored to officially join SEIA’s recycling network. We deeply appreciate SEIA’s commitment to advancing the solar industry and upholding rigorous quality standards.”