Comstock Metals Moves Toward Start-Up of Large-Scale Solar Panel Recycling Plant in Nevada

Comstock Inc. said major components of its industrial-scale solar panel recycling system have arrived at its Silver Springs, Nevada site as the company advances commissioning of a facility designed to process up to 100,000 tons of photovoltaic modules annually. The equipment delivery marks a key step toward launching operations in the second quarter of 2026, the company said in a project update.

The installation involves precision-engineered machinery developed for the company’s proprietary recycling platform, operated through its subsidiary Comstock Metals LLC. According to the company, commissioning work will continue through March and early April as engineers integrate the various unit operations that make up the production line.

Global deployment of solar power has expanded rapidly over the past decade, and analysts say the industry is now preparing for a wave of retired panels as early-generation installations reach the end of their service life. Research cited by international energy agencies suggests tens of millions of tons of solar modules could require recycling by mid-century, creating demand for scalable recovery technologies capable of extracting glass, aluminum and semiconductor materials.

Comstock said its Nevada facility is designed around a modular “unit operation” model that allows each stage of the recycling process, such as shredding, conditioning and materials separation, to be installed and tested independently before full system integration. Company engineers used computer-aided design tools to develop the equipment with precise tolerances intended to improve durability and throughput, according to the firm.

The front-end shredding systems are currently being assembled on-site. Installation tasks include linking mechanical units, connecting digital control systems, integrating plant power infrastructure and calibrating automated monitoring equipment. Executives said the phased commissioning strategy is intended to streamline start-up and allow operators to validate performance at each stage before continuous processing begins.

Once operational, the facility is expected to serve as Comstock’s first large-scale commercial platform for photovoltaic module recycling. The company says its approach is designed to divert panels from landfill while recovering critical materials for reuse in industrial supply chains.

Separately, Comstock confirmed it has submitted its first major operating permit application to Nevada regulators for a second integrated recycling facility planned in Clark County. The company said it has also begun outreach with local authorities and industrial neighbors as part of the permitting process.

Industry observers note that the solar sector is increasingly focused on end-of-life management as panel installations accelerate worldwide. While recycling capacity remains limited in many regions, new facilities under development in the United States and Europe aim to build domestic infrastructure capable of handling future waste volumes.

Comstock executives said the Nevada project follows several years of demonstration-scale testing that informed the final industrial design. The company plans to release further commissioning updates as installation progresses and the plant moves toward full operations later this year.

Source: Comstock

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Comstock’s Nevada project signals the scaling of industrial solar panel recycling as the renewable energy sector prepares for rising volumes of retired photovoltaic modules.