We Recycle Solar and Renewables.org Forge Partnership

We Recycle Solar and Renewables.org Forge Partnership to Amplify Global Energy Access for Earth Day 2024

From Recycling to Renewables: A Circular Economic Approach to Sustainable Solar Initiatives

YUMA, Ariz., March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This Earth Day, We Recycle Solar proudly announces a pivotal partnership in clean energy development with Renewables.org. Aiming to expedite the global shift towards solar power and endorse sustainable practices in solar panel recycling and asset recovery, the collaboration helps facilitate the transition in developing markets, while also enhancing responsible end-of-life solar panel management. Renewables.org is a leader in enabling clean energy development with shovel-ready solar projects that have five times the impact, and prevent more carbon emissions per dollar, than any other investment.

As part of the Earth Day celebration, We Recycle Solar committed to a specific initiative: For every ten solar modules recycled through its state-of-the-art facilities during April, one Panel will be donated to the Renewables Fund managed by Renewables.org. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to funding high-impact solar projects in the Global South, where the need for renewable energy is most critical.

“Teaming up with Renewables.org is a game-changer in extending the life of solar panels and helping to drive the circular economy in our sector,” said AJ Orben, Vice President of We Recycle Solar. “With projections of solar panel waste reaching 78 million tons by 2050, the rapid increase in discarded panels poses a significant environmental threat. So our shared goal not only contributes to the global expansion of clean, renewable energy, but also helps mitigate an environmental crisis in the making. So we are both focused on a cleaner, healthier planet.”

Bridging the Gap in Solar Energy Access for a Brighter Future

We Recycle Solar has already made significant strides in diverting solar panel waste from landfills via the company’s Arizona facility. At the forefront of processing end-of-life photovoltaic devices, the recycling site boasts the nation’s highest processing capacity, while the partnership between We Recycle Solar and Renewables.org further addresses two critical aspects of the solar industry: the environmental impact of solar panel waste and the urgent need for renewable energy sources in underdeveloped regions, including areas of the U.S.

While carbon-intensive power grids and insufficient funding for clean energy projects pose significant challenges in the Global South, Renewables.org addresses these major issues through its signature Renewables Fund. By placing tangible investments in projects that promise to deliver clean energy solutions now where they are needed most, Renewables.org is investing in a bolder and cleaner energy future.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to partner with We Recycle Solar for both this and projects in the future,” said Lassor Feasley, CEO of Renewables.org. “This initiative not only supports the deployment of solar energy in areas with the greatest impact on reducing carbon emissions, but also highlights the importance of responsible recycling in general as part of the solar value chain.”

Learn more about this, other upcoming projects, and join the mission to transform the planet’s energy future by following We Recycle Solar on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram.

About Renewables.org

Renewables.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on accelerating the deployment of solar energy in developing markets. By providing financing to solar projects in the Global South and other developing areas, Renewables.org works to reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy access in regions most impacted by climate change. Learn more at: www.Renewables.org.

About We Recycle Solar, Inc.

America’s only utility-scale solar recycler fully sanctioned by the EPA, We Recycle Solar offers comprehensive, frictionless solutions for the disposal, recycling, and management of solar assets. With a commitment to environmental sustainability, We Recycle Solar offers services that support the entire lifecycle of photovoltaic devices, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations while promoting the circular economy within the solar industry. 

Media Contact:

Quanah Locklear, Marketing Manager
(480) 482-705.

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We Recycle Inc launches new PV recycling facility

We Recycle Inc launches new Yuma, Arizona, PV recycling facility

We Recycle Solar, Inc., North America’s first vertically-integrated organisation specialising in the recycling and remarketing of excess, damaged, and end-of-life solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, has expanded its Yuma, Arizona-based operation to tackle the growing environmental challenge of solar panel waste.

We Recycle Inc launches new Yuma, Arizona, PV recycling facility
Courtesy of We Recycle Solar.
In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that cumulative solar panel waste volume would reach up to 1 million tons globally by 2030, and 78 million tons by 2050, based on an average PV lifespan of 30 years. However, as early solar panel replacement becomes more and more widespread, discarded solar panels are flooding US landfills – where they can contaminate soil and groundwater with toxic heavy metals and carcinogens including arsenic, lead and cadmium – at rates that far outpace previous forecasts.

Headquartered in Yuma, Arizona, We Recycle Solar specialises in the highly-technical task of solar panel removal, decommissioning, recycling, and processing for reuse and is the nation’s only solar recycler fully permitted by the federal EPA to handle hazardous secondary materials generated by solar panels…

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We Recycle Solar expands operation in Arizona

We Recycle Solar expands operation in Arizona

We Recycle Solar, Inc., North America’s first vertically-integrated organisation specialising in the recycling and remarketing of excess, damaged, and end-of-life solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, has expanded its Arizona-based operation in Yuma to tackle the growing environmental challenge of solar panel waste.

In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that cumulative solar panel waste volume would reach up to 1 million t globally by 2030, and 78 million t by 2050, based on an average PV lifespan of 30 years. However, as early solar panel replacement becomes more and more widespread, discarded solar panels are flooding US landfills – where they can contaminate soil and groundwater with toxic heavy metals and carcinogens including arsenic, lead, and cadmium – at rates that far outpace previous forecasts.

Headquartered in Yuma, Arizona, We Recycle Solar specialises in the highly-technical task of solar panel removal, decommissioning, recycling, and processing for reuse and is the nation’s only solar recycler fully permitted by the federal EPA to handle hazardous secondary materials generated by solar panels.

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WRS unveils largest PV recycling plant in the nation

We Recycle Solar unveils largest PV recycling plant in the nation

We Recycle Solar announced it has expanded its Yuma, Arizona-based operation to tackle the growing environmental challenge of solar panel waste.

The company specializes in the highly technical task of solar panel removal, decommissioning, recycling and processing for reuse and is the nation’s only solar recycler fully permitted by the federal EPA to handle hazardous secondary materials generated by solar panels.

Founded in August 2019 by a team of infrastructure and environmental entrepreneurs, We Recycle Solar has recycled or remarketed more than 500,000 end-of-life solar panels to date, diverting 23 million pounds of hazardous solar panel waste from landfills…

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Ramping up for the clean energy boom

Here’s how North America’s first utility-scale solar recycling plant is ramping up for the clean energy boom

We Recycle Solar, which is permitted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to handle hazardous secondary materials that come from solar panels, removes, decommissions, recycles, and processes the panels for reuse.

Founded in August 2019, the company has recycled or remarketed more than 500,000 end-of-life solar panels to date, diverting 23 million pounds of hazardous solar panel waste from landfills. It says its 75,000-square-foot Yuma, Arizona, factory currently has the capacity to process 7,500 modules, or 345,000 pounds, for recycling and reuse in a day and 69 million pounds in a single year…

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We Recycle Solar Expands Arizona Facility

We Recycle Solar Expands Arizona Facility

Yuma, Ariz. (May 15, 2023) — We Recycle Solar, Inc., North America’s first vertically-integrated organization specializing in the recycling and remarketing of excess, damaged, and end-of-life solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, has expanded its Yuma, Ariz.-based operation to tackle the growing environmental challenge of solar panel waste.

In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that cumulative solar panel waste volume would reach up to 1 million tons globally by 2030, and 78 million tons by 2050, based on an average PV lifespan of 30 years.  However, as early solar panel replacement becomes more and more widespread, discarded solar panels are flooding U.S. landfills—where they can contaminate soil and groundwater with toxic heavy metals and carcinogens including arsenic, lead and cadmium—at rates that far outpace previous forecasts…

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We Recycle Solar Scale Launch of Yuma Facility

WE RECYCLE SOLAR, INC. EXPANDS OPERATION, MEETS CHALLENGES OF GROWING PV WASTE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS WITH FULL-SCALE LAUNCH OF YUMA, ARIZONA FACILITY

Utility-scale PV recycling plant boasts highest processing capacity in the nation

Yuma, Ariz. (April 28, 2023) – We Recycle Solar, Inc., North America’s first vertically-integrated organization specializing in the recycling and remarketing of excess, damaged, and end-of-life solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, has expanded its Yuma, Ariz.-based operation to tackle the growing environmental challenge of solar panel waste.

In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that cumulative solar panel waste volume would reach up to 1 million tons globally by 2030, and 78 million tons by 2050, based on an average PV lifespan of 30 years.  However, as early solar panel replacement becomes more and more widespread,  

discarded solar panels are flooding U.S. landfills—where they can contaminate soil and groundwater with toxic heavy metals and carcinogens including arsenic, lead and cadmium—at rates that far outpace previous forecasts.

Headquartered in Yuma, Ariz., We Recycle Solar specializes in the highly-technical task of solar panel removal, decommissioning, recycling, and processing for reuse and is the nation’s only solar recycler fully permitted by the federal EPA to handle hazardous secondary materials generated by solar panels.

Founded in August 2019 by a team of infrastructure and environmental entrepreneurs, We Recycle Solar has recycled or remarketed more than 500,000 end-of-life solar panels to date, diverting 23 million pounds of hazardous solar panel waste from landfills.  

Now, with the addition of new lines of machinery and enhanced technology, We Recycle Solar’s full-scale PV recycling plant boasts the highest processing capacity in the nation, with the ability to process panels of every make and model, from any manufacturer, including those that are severely damaged, at a rate of up to 10 panels per minute. 

In a single day, We Recycle Solar’s utility-scale 75,000 sq. ft. Yuma, Ariz. facility has the capacity to process 7,500 modules, or 345,000 pounds, for recycling & reuse, and 69 million pounds in a single year—the weight of roughly 700 Boeing 737 commercial jets—with plans to quadruple capacity to 522 million pounds per year by 2028.   

“Cumulative solar waste is an enormous environmental issue facing our planet, and it could be up to fifty times bigger, and get here five years sooner than previously expected,” said We Recycle Solar CEO Adam Saghei. “We’ve not only increased processing speed and volume capacity enough to tackle roughly 25% of the current national need for recycling—we’ve also expanded our specialized solar handling teams, resulting in a breakage reduction of up to 30 percent at the time of decommissioning, which significantly increases the amount of PV panels we’re able to repurpose for the resale market.”

“We believe that sustainability in the American energy value chain can only be realized by empowering solar asset owners with a means of harnessing the economic value of their end-of-life panels,” said We Recycle Solar Vice President AJ Orben.  “Our vertically-integrated capabilities, including our full-scale Yuma operation, aim to maximize resource value for all solar chain participants and ultimately position us to incentivize and serve major large-scale businesses for the greatest possible impact.”  

ABOUT WE RECYCLE SOLAR, INC. 

Founded in August 2019 by a team of infrastructure and environmental entrepreneurs, We Recycle Solar, Inc. is North America’s first vertically-integrated organization specialized in the recycling and remarketing of excess, damaged, and end-of-life PV panels.  The nation’s only solar recycler fully permitted by the federal EPA to handle hazardous secondary materials generated by solar panels, We Recycle Solar, has recycled or remarketed more than 500,000 end-of-life solar panels to date, resulting in 23 million pounds of waste diverted from landfills.

With PV panel waste volume expected to top 78 million tons globally in the next 30 years, We Recycle Solar is positioned to build a more resilient renewable energy industry, and improve the solar value chain in the United States to ensure America’s leadership in the clean energy transition, by maximizing resource value for all solar chain participants.  

We Recycle Solar’s industry-leading circular economy model provides solar asset owners with a frictionless means of responsibly disposing of end-of-life PV panels, of every type, make, model and condition, through a full-service solution that is compliant with federal, state and local regulations:  

  • Full-service onsite decommissioning: We Recycle Solar’s specialized team offers complete onsite decommissioning services, including expert removal, shipping, and responsible disposal of end-of-life or damaged PV panels, inverters, racking, and other balance of plant elements.  
  • Proprietary data engine and recycling process: We Recycle Solar built the industry’s first database of every panel’s composition so as to optimize and customize the collection and recycling process for every type of PV panel (e.g. crystalline silicon, CdTe, CIGS).  
  • Remarketing and resale distribution channels: Whenever possible, We Recycle Solar repairs, refurbishes, and remarkets pre-owned solar panels via direct-to-consumer resale channels and the secondary buyers market so as to maximize resource value while further eliminating landfill waste.   
  • Regulatory and ESG assurance: We Recycle Solar provides environmental and regulatory compliance to asset owners and operators by verifying the collection and disposal of panels, thereby increasing supply chain visibility and data for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting purposes. 

To learn more, please visit www.werecyclesolar.com.

Media Contact

Sarah March

BAY Public Relations

sarah@baypublicrelations.com