Mexico’s First Solar Panel Recycling Plant Set to Open in Jalisco

According to industry reports, Mexico’s first dedicated solar panel recycling plant is being developed in Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, with an initial capacity to process up to 1,000 tonnes of retired photovoltaic (PV) panels annually. The facility is expected to recover up to 95% of the materials in decommissioned panels, including silicon, aluminium and silver.

The project is being developed by Rafiqui, a nonprofit organization focused on recycling and reuse, in response to the rapid expansion of solar power in Jalisco. The state has approximately 1.6 million installed solar panels, representing around 50,000 tonnes of equipment.

Facility to prioritize reuse before recycling

Rafiqui plans to evaluate decommissioned panels before they enter the recycling process. Equipment that remains functional and suitable for further use may be reused or donated to communities and nonprofit organizations.

Panels that cannot be reused will be processed at the Ciudad Guzmán facility. Recovered materials such as silicon, aluminium and silver will be returned to other production chains, creating an additional outlet for PV materials that would otherwise require disposal.

Rafiqui Director Ximena Cantú said the organization’s approach extends beyond conventional recycling, with the project designed around principles of the circular economy.

The plant will initially process up to 1,000 tonnes of retired panels each year. Rafiqui has not disclosed a timeline for further capacity expansion.

Jalisco’s growing solar base drives demand

Jalisco has been an early adopter of photovoltaic generation in Mexico. The first PV system connected to the national electricity grid was installed in the state in 2007, according to Manuel Gómez-Herrera Lasso, Executive Director of the Mexican Photovoltaic Industry Association.

The expansion of solar installations is now creating a growing end-of-life management requirement. As older systems are replaced or fail prematurely, more panels will enter the waste stream.

The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that approximately 30,000 tonnes of solar panels in Mexico could be retired because of premature failure by 2030, while another 6,500 tonnes are expected to reach the end of their normal operating life.

Collection network being developed

Rafiqui is establishing collection infrastructure to supply the new recycling facility. The organization operates a collection centre in southern Guadalajara for smaller quantities of retired panels and has developed collection arrangements for larger volumes in other parts of Mexico.

The organization is also discussing additional collection options with municipalities and industrial associations across Jalisco. Expanding the collection network will be important to ensure that panels from dispersed solar installations can be consolidated and transported to the recycling facility efficiently.

The project will provide a dedicated route for recovering materials from retired PV equipment while allowing functioning panels to remain in use where technically feasible.

Source: Mexico News Daily

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Jalisco’s planned solar panel recycling plant will initially process up to 1,000 tonnes of retired PV modules annually, combining reuse with material recovery to build a local circular pathway for solar equipment.