Development of the Photovoltaics Recycling Network

Abstract

The Photovoltaics (PV) industry has grown rapidly over 15 years. As the number of PV installation sites increases, the amount of the end-of-life PV products will subsequently increase. Therefore, an appropriate recycling process for the PV industry should be established.  This paper described the current situation regarding the economic profits, the recycling policies, and the recycling infrastructure in the PV industry. In order to address the PV recycling issue, a recycling network has been developed to facilitate the PV recycling process. The network considered the facility location and the transportation route optimization, the cost and the environmental impact analysis, and the trade-off analysis. The network can assist the PV recycling process to any local areas.