Solarcycle signs agreement with EDF Renewables

EDF Renewables North America and Solarcycle have signed an agreement that will allow California-based Solarcycle to recycle solar panels damaged or broken during construction and operation, from EDF’s grid-scale, distribution-scale and onsite solar sites. 

France-based EDF, a large renewable energy developers in North America, engages in both wind and solar energy projects. Solarcycle, meanwhile, offers solar asset owners what it says is a low-cost, eco-friendly, comprehensive process for recycling retiring solar panels and technologies and repurposing them for new uses.

“Today’s agreement is part of EDF Renewables’ long-term environmental, social and governance (ESG) roadmap and commitment to producing zero carbon energy that also contributes to a circular economy in the sector,” says Edgar Puerto, associate director at EDF Renewables.

“As a company, we have committed to developing the recycling capability of our clean energy assets, starting with solar. We view this as a key strategy for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and catalyzing a new domestic supply chain for made-in-America solar products.” 

EDF engaged in a comprehensive evaluation of solar recycling solutions before selecting Solarcycle because of what it says is a deep commitment to innovation and proven high-value recycling process.

Solarcycle says its technology allows for the extraction of 95 percent of the value from recycled panels, including silver, silicon, copper, aluminum and glass from recycled panels.

EDF also chose Solarcycle because the company offers transparency and verification through environmental reporting. The California firm, which has a plant in Odessa, Texas, will, in turn, help EDF Renewables close the loop on the life of their solar systems by selling the recycled raw materials to the next wave of solar manufacturing in North America.

“We are proud to partner with EDF Renewables, who went deep with us, with multiple visits to our factory, extensive audits and a competitive request for proposal (RFP) process," says Jesse Simons, chief commercial officer and co-founder of Solarcycle. "Today’s announcement should be a sign to other global companies that recycling technology is ready today, and Solarcycle is a preferred choice for companies with a commitment to safety, quality, environmental compliance, sustainability and price.”