India's Solar Waste: A ₹3,700 Crore Recycling Opportunity by 2047, CEEW Studies Reveal

Independent studies released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) project that recovering materials from India's discarded solar panels could unlock a market worth ₹3,700 crore by 2047. This circular economy approach could significantly contribute to India's manufacturing needs, potentially meeting 38% of the sector's inputs for materials like silicon, copper, aluminium, and silver. Furthermore, it could prevent 37 million tonnes of carbon emissions by substituting virgin resources with recycled ones.

India's solar module recycling market is in its early stages, with limited commercial operations. By 2047, India's installed solar capacity is expected to generate over 11 million tonnes of solar waste, requiring an estimated 300 recycling plants and an investment of ₹4,200 crore. Currently, formal recycling is economically unviable, with recyclers facing losses of ₹10,000-₹12,000 per tonne, largely due to the high cost of acquiring waste modules (around ₹600 per panel).

To make recycling profitable and scalable, CEEW suggests modules should be priced below ₹330, or recyclers need support through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificate trading, tax incentives, and investments in research and development for efficient recovery of valuable materials like silicon and silver. CEEW also recommends establishing EPR targets for collection and recovery under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, and forming a Circular Solar Taskforce. Other proposals include a centralized solar inventory and encouraging producers to design panels for easier disassembly and share material data.

Impact This initiative has the potential to create a new green industrial opportunity, recover critical minerals, strengthen domestic supply chains, and generate green jobs. By embedding circularity, India can ensure its clean energy transition is resource-resilient and self-sustaining, aligning clean energy ambitions with manufacturing self-reliance.

Impact Rating: 8/10

Difficult Terms: * **Circularity**: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. * **EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)**: A policy approach where producers are given significant financial and/or physical responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products. * **Virgin Resources**: Raw materials that have not been previously processed or used. * **Crystalline-Silicon Modules**: The most common type of solar panel, made from silicon crystals. * **Nascent Stage**: The early stage of development or existence. * **E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022**: Regulations in India that govern the environmentally sound management of electronic waste.