Strategic Network Planning of Recycling of Photovoltaic Modules

Due to high subsidies, the installed capacity of photovoltaic (PV) in Germany steeply increased in the last years. Considering an expected lifetime of 20–25 years the related amount of PV waste will increase during the next decades. Thus, PV modules have been integrated into the WEEE directive in 2012. In order to fulfil the WEEE recycling and recovery quotas, it will be sufficient to recover the raw materials with the highest mass, i.e. glass and aluminium. However, with new technologies under development, it will be possible to recover also other rare strategic materials with limited availability in Germany, like silver, copper or indium. Against this background, the aim is to develop a strategic planning approach to analyse the early installation of appropriate collection and recycling infrastructures with the focus on resource criticalities. In order to do so, a multi-period MILP is developed regarding capacity, technology and location decisions for collection and recycling facilities of PV modules. Decisions are evaluated with regard to economic aspects. Additionally, information on resource criticalities derived from criticality indicators are integrated. A case study illustrates the approach and its results.