PV-GlasCycle

Recycling the Glass Component of End-of-Life Photovoltaic Modules 

The growing demand for renewable energy sources has led to an exponential increase in the installation of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Currently, approximately 20 years after the first PV boom, the first large quantities of discarded, uneconomical, or broken PV modules are accumulating, which must be disposed of in accordance with ElektroG3. As this volume continues to grow steadily, so does the challenge of ensuring the proper disposal, processing, and recycling of the valuable materials they contain.

This research project focuses on investigating, comparing, and evaluating the glass content of PV modules (70 to 95% of a module’s total mass) recovered through various processing methods. The goal is to return the cullet to the glass manufacturing process without compromising quality. Depending on the type of PV system and the recycling process, different grades of cullet are produced, which will be examined for their reusability in various sectors of the glass industry.

Project Profile

Duration: 01.01.2026 – 31.12.2027

Funding: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, with funding from the IGF

Projet Partners:  

•  T.H. Deggendorf / Technologie-Anwender-Zentrum Spiegelau TAZ
•  Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der Deutschen Glasindustrie (HVG) e.V.

Contact: Prof.-Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Gerdesmce, Andreas Rosin, Peter Probst