Clean energy technologies such as solar, wind and batteries are the basic building blocks of a net-zero future. IEA's net-zero analysis shows that solar capacity must increase at least 20 times between 2020 and 2050. Therefore, the production of minerals that go into these modules, such as silicon, copper, and aluminium, has to increase significantly, necessitating increased exploration. However, analysis shows that for metals such as copper, the availability of global reserves has remained constant over the last seven years. Furthermore, the current production of metals such as copper is already more than 2% of the global reserves. These insights suggest that alternate avenues are needed to meet the rising demand. Recycling the waste solar module to recover various materials, also called urban mining, is one such strategy. It's a fact that as solar deployment increases, the world will also be witnessing vast volumes of waste modules which have reached the end of their useful life. Hence, recycling modules, and generally, a truly circular economy, will solve the dual issues of resource adequacy and environmental pollution.

Solar module recycling is still an emerging industry which needs active collaboration between producers, recyclers, and policymakers. Some of the challenges grappling the sector are nascent recycling technologies, waste volumes (including reverse logistics), policy guidance and so on. The recyclers understand the explicit revenue potential of this industry but are sceptical of the various challenges and risks. The sector needs innovative market strategies, such as business models, to guide investment decisions.

This research work intends to abridge this decision-making gap. Based on the extensive stakeholder discussions with technology providers (recyclers, academia, start-ups) and manufacturers, as bulk consumers of solar projects, we have identified the bottlenecks to commercialise solar module recycling. We supplement this information with an extensive literature review and key information interviews (KII) with the operational recycling facilities to compile the best practices and learnings across the globe. These learnings are used to arrive at some market strategies that the key stakeholders can refer to for enabling a recycling industry. These include innovative business models, financing mechanisms, plausible partnerships and collaborations, and fiscal and non-fiscal support from the government. Such information shall inform decision-making by the industry and accelerate sectoral progress.