Sweden Develops Circular Roadmap as End-of-Life Solar Panel Volumes Could Reach 150,000 Tonnes Annually

Sweden could face up to 150,000 tonnes of end-of-life solar panels each year by around 2060, prompting Axfoundation, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and recycling and solar industry partners to develop the country’s first circular roadmap for keeping panels and their materials in use.

The roadmap was developed through the CircSolar initiative by Axfoundation, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, El-Kretsen, Svea Solar, Stena Recycling and REMONDIS. It sets out measures to extend the service life of functioning panels, improve specialized recycling and strengthen extended producer responsibility (EPR), traceability and data collection.

Solar power is expanding rapidly in Sweden, but the growth of installed capacity is expected to generate substantially larger end-of-life material flows in the coming decades. Scenario analyses by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden indicate that annual volumes could reach between 40,000 and 150,000 tonnes by around 2060. At the upper end, this would exceed the total volume of electrical and electronic waste collected in Sweden in 2024.

The issue extends beyond Sweden. The European Commission estimates that cumulative end-of-life solar panel volumes in the European Union could exceed 20 million tonnes by 2050.

The roadmap argues that panels removed from service should not automatically enter the waste stream. Research from KTH and the CircSolar project found that some discarded panels remain functional, while others may be repairable or suitable for reuse. Unused panels can also enter the same material flow. Systematic testing of quality and safety could help determine whether individual panels should be reused, repaired or recycled.

“Not everything that gets discarded has reached the end of its functional life,” said Beatriz Pérez Horno, a researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. She said the absence of systematic testing could result in both usable panels and recoverable material being directed into inappropriate treatment routes.

The roadmap identifies lifetime extension as its first priority. This includes maintenance, repair and reuse, supported by business models that make retaining functioning panels commercially viable. Svea Solar said the industry needs greater incentives to maintain and optimize installations rather than replace panels prematurely.

A second priority is the development of dedicated solar panel recycling capacity. Specialized recycling technologies are being developed in Europe, and the roadmap proposes that Sweden initially make use of existing capacity elsewhere in Europe before considering domestic infrastructure as national volumes increase. Stena Recycling and REMONDIS are among the recycling companies preparing for the expected growth in solar panel material flows.

The third priority concerns EPR. The roadmap calls for all companies placing solar panels on the Swedish market to contribute to their future collection and treatment on equal terms. Better traceability and data on expected panel flows are also needed to support investment and long-term capacity planning.

“Extended producer responsibility is a fundamental part of a circular system for solar panels,” said Kristina Eriksson, Business Area Manager at El-Kretsen. She said consistent responsibility across market participants could provide financing for future collection and recycling while improving planning conditions.

The organizations behind the roadmap are also calling for coordinated action by Swedish authorities to support the reuse of functioning panels, encourage investment in higher-value recycling and improve the practical implementation of EPR.

The roadmap presents a staged approach in which functioning panels remain in service where possible, recyclable materials are recovered through specialized processes, and future material flows are supported by stronger collection, traceability and producer-responsibility systems.

Source: Axfoundation

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Sweden’s solar panel roadmap calls for longer panel lifetimes, dedicated recycling capacity and stronger producer responsibility as end-of-life volumes are expected to rise sharply.