Malaviya Solar Secures German Recycling Technology as India Braces for Solar Waste Surge

India’s solar industry is preparing for a wave of end-of-life panels as installations expand, and Malaviya Solar Energy Consultancy has moved to position itself in the emerging recycling market through an exclusive technology licensing deal with Germany’s LuxChemtech GmbH, the company said, citing project documentation and industry briefings.

The agreement gives the Pune-based consultancy access to a patented recycling process designed to recover high-value materials from discarded photovoltaic modules while minimizing environmental impact, a development analysts say could shape how India handles one of its fastest-growing waste streams.

India’s solar capacity has expanded rapidly over the past decade, driven by falling module prices and government-backed renewable targets. Data published by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy show installed solar capacity has risen from less than 10 GW in 2015 to more than 100 GW today, with policymakers aiming for roughly 350 GW of solar as part of a 500 GW renewable energy goal by 2030. Observers note that the first large-scale solar projects are now approaching mid-life, raising concerns over recycling capacity and regulatory readiness.

LuxChemtech’s technology, developed in Germany, focuses on separating and recovering materials such as silver, copper, aluminium, glass and silicon using water-based and organic chemical processes rather than high-temperature treatments. Company disclosures indicate the system can extract more than 98 percent of recoverable metals, a level that industry groups argue is critical for making solar recycling commercially viable rather than purely compliance-driven.

The process has been tested under PHOTORAMA, a European Union-funded research initiative launched in 2021 to advance circular economy solutions for photovoltaic waste. Reporting tied to the project shows pilot operations running at LuxChemtech’s German facility through mid-2025, with an emphasis on reducing residual waste and reintroducing recovered materials into manufacturing supply chains.

For India, the timing is significant. Analysts estimate the country could generate close to 19 million metric tonnes of solar panel waste by 2030, a figure that could climb if modules are replaced earlier due to efficiency upgrades or damage. Industry estimates suggest recoverable silver alone could exceed 10,000 tonnes over that period, underscoring the economic stakes of effective recycling systems.

Malaviya Solar said it plans to collaborate with domestic glass and aluminium producers, licensed e-waste recyclers and clean-tech startups to deploy the technology locally. Industry participants note that high recovery rates could also enhance the value of Extended Producer Responsibility credits, offering manufacturers and developers a stronger financial incentive to comply with emerging waste rules.

Regulators have begun to tighten oversight of electronic and solar waste, but enforcement remains uneven. Observers say partnerships that bring proven overseas technology into India may help close the gap between policy ambition and on-the-ground capability, especially as solar installations continue to scale.

Market participants expect solar recycling to shift from a niche service to a core component of India’s renewable energy value chain. The success of such technology transfers, analysts caution, will depend on cost, regulatory clarity and the speed at which recycling infrastructure can be built alongside new solar capacity.

Source: Manufacturing Today India

SUNSHINE Spotlight: As India’s solar fleet ages, access to high-recovery recycling technology could determine whether the sector’s clean-energy gains translate into a truly circular lifecycle.