Sustainable management of end-of-life of solar photovoltaic panels: A strength,weakness,opportunity and threat analysis of recycling

Abstract

Recycling end-of-life (EoL) solar panels is recognized as a sustainable option to keep their EoL clean and also to ensure material circularity. However, understanding the concerned stakeholders’ viewpoints and analysing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of recycling in the target country context is very important. This study aims to achieve these objectives in the context of Bangladesh. A survey based on a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was conducted among purposefully selected solar-panel industry stakeholders. Both univariate and bivariate statistical tools were used to analyse the data. The results show that the stakeholders recognized recycling as the only sustainable management option and emphasize the joint efforts of both government and private sector in taking back panels and to establishing recycling facilities. Environmental and economic benefits were identified as the key strengths (mean ⩾4) of recycling. Conversely, low-volume and intermittency of waste panels, lack of awareness (means ⩾ 3.50) and the absence of recycling plants (mean: 4.20) were identified as significant weaknesses. As opportunities, respondents strongly endorsed adopting lessons of recycling from developed countries (mean: 4.23) to initiate recycling. Furthermore, the prospect of usability of recovered materials in local industries (mean: 3.75) was identified as an important opportunity. Nonetheless, the absence of both a take-back system (mean: 4.17) and a regulation (mean: 4.22) were identified as significant threats. The findings highlight the need for the establishment regulations to manage EoL panels, the initiation of an effective take-back system and the establishment of at least one recycling plant.