As Europe’s solar PV capacity surged to 338 GW by the end of 2024, the continent faces an impending wave of end-of-life panels. With modules lasting 25–30 years, projections indicate that by 2050, retired PV panels in the EU could increase tenfold, presenting a substantial e-waste challenge under the WEEE Directive, which places recycling responsibility on manufacturers.
Addressing this emerging issue, the QUASAR project is deploying a multi-layered strategy that integrates digital technologies, reverse logistics, and stakeholder collaboration across the PV lifecycle. The project emphasizes practical scalability by involving manufacturers, installers, recyclers, and end-users from the outset.
A central innovation is the use of digital twins, virtual replicas of individual panels that store real-time data on condition, location, and material composition. Linked with product passports and smart sensor tags, these twins enable product lifecycle information management (PLIM), guiding decisions on reuse, repair, or recycling. QUASAR’s reverse logistics systems, enhanced by AI and machine learning, streamline transport, sorting, and degradation assessment of retired modules, prioritizing material recovery value.
Operationally, QUASAR is implementing automated sorting lines, condition-based testing protocols, and modular repair stations. Modules passing inspection can be refurbished and reintroduced into the market, while irreparable panels proceed to advanced recycling.
The project aims to recover 70–90% of high-purity materials, generating over €13 per module in value and reducing decommissioning costs by approximately 20%. Recovery targets include ≥90% silicon, ≥70% silver, ≥90% polymers, and ≥80% glass reuse, compared to the current <20% downcycling rate. Inspection and repair costs are kept under €5 and €7.50 per module, respectively, with an industrial pilot capable of processing 10,000 tonnes of PV waste per year.
QUASAR’s focus on smarter inspection protocols has produced a public best practice guide for field module assessment. Using infrared thermography, electroluminescence imaging, and IV-curve tracing, operators can classify panels for reuse, repair, or recycling, while on-site fixes—such as junction box replacements and backsheet coatings—enable up to 50% of modules to be diverted from recycling.
Environmental and safety assessments of the pilot facility confirm compliance with regulatory thresholds, optimized energy and water usage, and negligible health or biodiversity impacts. The approach demonstrates not only technical feasibility but also scalability for high-value PV recycling.
