The new FOR REC plant for recycling end-of-life photovoltaic panels

Revamping and value recovery

In an era where the energy transition is accelerating, managing the end-of-life of renewable technologies becomes an absolute priority. FOR REC responds to this challenge with a new, state-of-the-art plant for recycling photovoltaic panels, recently commissioned in Sardinia. A project that combines sustainability, the circular economy, and the most modern Industry 4.0 technologies.

The client, a major company operating in the solar plant revamping sector, deals with the replacement and modernization of existing photovoltaic parks. This process inevitably generates large quantities of decommissioned modules. The strategic objective shared with FOR REC was clear from the beginning: not to limit themselves to disposal, but to shred the modules to reduce their size and separate the different materials, reintroducing them into the production cycle as valuable secondary raw materials.

Circular economy: a new life for materials

The technological heart of the plant guarantees a clean and efficient separation of the solar panel components. The output, which is homogeneous and reduced in size (0-25 mm), is routed towards specific valorization pathways, minimizing environmental impact and creating new economic value:

• Aluminum and silicon: recovered with a good degree of purity and sent directly to foundries.
• Glass: destined for the glass industry or reused in the cement production sector.
• Plastic: the only fraction that, at present, is sent for controlled disposal, following a process that drastically reduces its volumes.

Tailor-made technology and Industry 4.0

As per FOR REC tradition, the plant is not a standardized product, but a truly tailor-made solution. The recycling line, in fact, was entirely custom-designed based on the client’s specific needs, optimizing the layout to maximize yield within the 1,500 m2 of available space.
The entire system is completely automated and interconnected according to Industry 4.0 paradigms. This allows for constant monitoring of production performance, process optimization, and advanced management, ensuring maximum efficiency and operational reliability over time.

Zero emissions, maximum safety, and speed

The treatment of solar panels requires rigorous attention to emissions. For this reason, FOR REC has equipped the line with a powerful and sophisticated dust extraction system and sealed conveyor belts, eliminating the dispersion of particulates into the environment and guaranteeing maximum safety for the operators. Confirming the company’s solid engineering capacity, the project was carried out with extremely competitive timelines: approximately 3 months were sufficient for the executive design and just a month and a half for the complete assembly of the line at the site in Sardinia.