By Jan Clyncke

PV CYCLE’s take-back and collection network is currently composed of almost 60 registered collection points, 30 of them fully operational, expanding across six different European countries. PV CYCLE’s and its members’sdetermination remains strong to be able to take care of all disposed modules in the EU and EFTA countries (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein).

The first full containers with end-of-life modules have already been shipped to the association’s recycling facilities in Germany. The European industry has finally become Double Green.

To support the work, and as proof of the industry’s commitment, a large majority of the association’s members (81%) approved the principles of the financing model for the PV CYCLE scheme during its last general assembly celebrated in June 2010. Based on this model, the PV CYCLE system will finance the take-back and recycling of all PV modules put on the market by the members after January 1 2010. In addition, the full members of the association have also agreed to take care of historical waste which includes all modules put on the market before that date.

Renewed Leadership

During the last general assembly, a new Board of Directors was elected to guide the association’s progress during the next three years. Contributions from the members have also been secured to finance the operational costs for that period of time while exploring the best long-term solutions.

The efforts will be overseen by Karsten Wambach, Board Member of Sunicon AG (a subsidiary of SolarWorld AG), who renewed his position as President of PV CYCLE. Next to him, Martin Sommer, Vice President of PV CYCLE and Director of Module Production World at Schott Solar AG, along with Wilfried Taetow as Treasurer of the association and Corporate Advisor to the President of Sanyo Components, will make sure that PV CYCLE continue to be focused on our targets.

The other elected directors in the new Board come from a range of fields of expertise within the photovoltaic industry: Eleni Despotou, Deputy General and Policy Director at EPIA, Luis Lopez, Head of the Quality and Environment department at Isofoton, and Mette Vgnes Eriksen, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at REC.

PV CYCLE will provide a solution for all different PV technologies, including thin film, silicon and concentration modules. The system is composed of a network of permanent containers at our collection points located at the premises of photovoltaic module retailers, wholesalers, or electrical installation contractors.

For those owners located further than 50 km from the closest collection point, after a pick-up is scheduled, PV CYCLE will send a truck to take the modules to the closest collection point. In the case of modules located closer than 50 kilometers, after dismantling or renovation, the de-installer will normally take them to a collection point. Once the containers are full, they are replaced by empty ones and the modules are taken to high-value recycling plants. Shortly after, the recovered raw materials will be back into the manufacturing value chain. PV CYCLE temporary containers can also be placed at large construction and replacement sites.

The system is completely free of charge and open to anyone who would like to dispose of end-of-life photovoltaic modules following a dismantling or renovation project. These include modules damaged during transport or installation, as PV CYCLE has guarantee and warranty claims. Its regular users are electrical installation contractors, retailers, distributors, wholesalers, industrial end-users, producers, households as PV CYCLEll as demolition companies under certain conditions.

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenging market and political conditions that the photovoltaics industry is facing in many European countries, PV CYCLE remains confident that the expansion of this type of clean energy will only grow in the years to come. Its studies conducted in 2007 indicated that by the end of 2010, around 6,000 tons of end-of-life modules could be disposed of in Europe. PV CYCLE still doesn’t know if it will be right or wrong. What PV CYCLE is certain of is that PV CYCLE will do everything to guarantee that as many PV modules as possible are adequately collected and recycled to bring the environmental impact of our industry to a minimum. That, PV CYCLE knows. 

Jan Clyncke is Managing Director of PV CYCLE (http://www.pvcycle.org/).