The sensible matter of taking a lifeless PV system and transferring its elements to their subsequent vacation spot has obtained much less consideration than recycling and second-life purposes. In the United States, Decom Solar presents decommissioning for business and industrial (C&I) photo voltaic initiatives. pv journal spoke to Decom Solar co-founder Stephen Burns for an replace.
pv journal: Can you inform me a bit about Decom Solar and its work?
Stephen Burns: I labored within the photo voltaic business for a undertaking developer for 10 years earlier than beginning Decom Solar. At that point we began to see shoppers requesting finish of life administration. We do not have an end-of-life answer and there aren’t many companions that present that service. My enterprise companion and I noticed this as a possibility. We began Decom Solar with a give attention to offering C&I and small utility-scale clients with turnkey end-of-life PV providers, which embody full decommissioning, repowering, and what we name “de /re,” deinstallation and reinstallation the place required by a system. which shall be eliminated briefly to hold out the work on the roof.
We are at the moment engaged on 17 initiatives throughout the United States for asset homeowners, builders [and] O&M [operations and maintenance] and roofing corporations. The objective of our enterprise is to make sure that decommissioning is completed sustainably, making certain that no materials from these methods leads to landfill. We discover that just about 85% of the elements we discover nonetheless have life in them and in these instances we work with tools sellers and vetted nonprofits to resell or donate, which might have an enormous optimistic influence. influence on underserved communities.
How do you handle the testing required to resolve whether or not one thing ought to be recycled or in a second life software?
Generally, we will decide if a part might be reused based mostly on the age and sort of fabric. We discovered a variety of legacy materials, like Solyndra modules or frameless modules, that we knew wanted to be recycled. For any modules over 250 W, we’ll run checks comparable to IV curve tracing, infrared imaging, backsheet inspection, connector inspection, and so on., to find out in the event that they can be utilized once more.
A problem for us is that, many occasions, shoppers reserve zero capital for decommissioning. Even although I’m on the developer aspect of the business there isn’t any linear factor in monetary modeling for end-of-life prices. For most shoppers, the objective is to make it sustainable however on the lowest doable value. In these instances, reselling the used tools may help recoup among the labor prices.
You talked about that Decom Solar is without doubt one of the early movers on this house. What different choices can be found to shoppers with regards to decommissioning?
What we need to keep away from is the landfill. Project bids will not be based mostly on worth as a result of we embody the price of recycling, if obligatory. At this level, recycling can vary wherever from $12 to $18 per module, which might simply add as much as bigger methods. There are a few different corporations that provide decommissioning providers and lots of consultants that present steering on decommission a undertaking however there aren’t many whose sole focus is end-to-end providers. life.
We have gained a variety of optimistic traction and might be acknowledged as folks can flip to for an entire turnkey providing. We will do the whole lot from allowing and coping with utilities, to eradicating the precise system and ensuring it’s managed correctly. We present documentation on the finish of the undertaking exhibiting that every one materials has been correctly disposed of, or switch possession data in instances of resale or donation.
Are there rules in place to manipulate this house? And what ought to asset homeowners do with regards to end-of-life administration?
Very little right here within the US. Generally, it’s administered on a state-by-state foundation. If there have been federal rules it could definitely assist the business proceed however at the moment the placement of the system determines how the fabric is dealt with. Few states have any formal regulation, notably California and Washington, however many are actively exploring laws. We see that photo voltaic modules are blended with common or digital waste. Some are thought-about hazardous waste that require cautious administration and strict compliance with rules. We do issues the appropriate manner and be certain that this tools is returned to the availability chain via reuse or recycling.
How usually is it the case that end-of-life remedy is just not thought-about in a undertaking contract?
Most of the time we discover out with out pondering forward how a lot it should value. In the case of bigger floor mount or utility-scale permits, authorities usually require builders and asset homeowners to develop a decommissioning plan. It actually does not exist within the rooftop house, the place there is not any want for forward-thinking authorities. For initiatives which might be at the moment being constructed, it’s extra widespread that decommissioning concerns are taken. We usually discuss to builders who begin planning and work immediately with us to seek out out what it should value to take away a system. This permits them to take part within the decommissioning of the general monetary undertaking in order that when the undertaking reaches its end-of-life they’ll rapidly transfer ahead with the deliberate value.
What is the panorama for recycling within the United States? Do you may have decisions about who you may work with?
There are a number of corporations that provide this, and the Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing a variety of funding to encourage recycling innovation. We are seeing these efforts start to take root. Companies centered on PV module recycling are creating massive recycling vegetation throughout the nation. There are additionally many older recyclers from completely different industries, be it electronics or aluminum or glass, who’ve began to vary their processes to have the ability to deal with massive volumes of PV modules. The DOE has plans to get recycling prices extra according to landfill prices, that are about $3 per module. The DOE’s Solar Energies Technology Office (SETO) just lately said that they’re centered on getting the price of PV recycling right down to $5 per module. This will go a great distance in getting corporations to just accept that value. There are tried and trusted recyclers throughout the US who help our efforts, and SEIA [trade body the Solar Energy Industries Association] has finished a wonderful job in creating the SEIA National PV Recycling Program. As a part of this program, they go to recycling vegetation to examine their operations and ensure they’re doing issues proper.
Besides the modules, are different elements, comparable to racking or inverters, available to recyclers?
Racking truly is, we largely cope with metal and there’s a wholesome metal recycling market. On the inverter aspect it’s kind of extra nuanced. We function methods from the previous so we’re compelled to handle legacy tools, particularly massive central inverters. We work with a community of asset homeowners and O&M corporations excited by buying inverters to have spare tools out there. If the whole items can’t be offered, we work with companions to strip the precious elements from the inverters to reuse them of their operations and sustainability efforts. In all instances, the metal body of those inverters might be simply recycled. There is a wholesome market that we faucet into and we guarantee that what might be reused is reused.
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