Applications of Solar Panel Waste in Pavement Construction—An Overview

Abstract

Waste from used solar panels will be a worldwide problem in the near future mainly due to the strong uptake in solar energy and the necessity of disposing solar panel systems at the end–of–life stage, as these materials are hazardous. While new techniques and strategies are often investigated to manage the end–of–life of solar panels effectively, there is huge potential in recycling and reusing solar panel waste as components for alternate products. Numerous studies have been conducted on using alternate materials instead of conventional materials in pavement construction. The current study presents a detailed review and a discussion on using solar panel waste materials in pavement construction. The findings present opportunities to use different solar panel waste materials such as glass, aluminium (Al), silicon (Si), and polymer waste as potential replacement materials in various types of pavement construction. The study also presents the current progress and future focus on experimental developments in pavements with solar panel waste to benchmark short–term and long–term characteristics. Finally, the review discusses the impediments that restrict and the drivers that can facilitate the implementation of solar panel waste in pavement construction. The main findings from this review can be used as a quantitative foundation to facilitate decisions on using different solar panel waste materials in pavement construction applications. Furthermore, such findings will also be beneficial for policymakers and industry stakeholders to implement effective supply chain strategies for promoting solar panel waste as a potential pavement construction material.