Solar panels are built to last. But what happens after their thirty-year career under sun, wind and rain? The PVDEBOND project – with SOLTECH as a key industrial partner – is working on a breakthrough that could redefine the recycling of photovoltaic modules.

The global energy transition is gaining momentum. In the coming decades, billions of solar panels will be installed worldwide. But behind the impressive rise in solar capacity, a less visible challenge is emerging: how to recycle ageing panels sustainably, without losing valuable materials such as silver and silicon.

This is precisely what the imec.icon research project PVDEBOND aims to address. Launched in December 2024, PVDEBOND brings together chemistry, materials science and PV engineering to tackle a simple yet radical idea: what if we could design solar panels that can be taken apart – cleanly, precisely – at the end of their life?

SOLTECH, a Flemish producer of custom solar energy solutions, plays a central role by developing the actual PV modules that integrate the new debonding technologies.

“Solar panels are engineered to survive almost anything: rain, snow, heatwaves, even sandstorms. That makes them robust – but also incredibly hard to disassemble after three decades,” explains Stefan Dewallef, R&D Manager at SOLTECH. “With PVDEBOND, we want to change that, without sacrificing durability or efficiency.”

From glue to smart layer

The heart of the challenge lies in the encapsulation layers – the glue-like sheets that protect the solar cells between glass and backsheet. Today, they are designed for longevity, not dismantling. As a result, recycling often involves grinding panels down, which leads to downcycling and a loss of high-value materials.

PVDEBOND proposes a smarter solution: innovative additives embedded in the encapsulants, which can be triggered by a specific external signal – such as UV, infrared light, or heat. When activated, these additives initiate a clean release of the different layers, leaving no residue and allowing for high-quality material recovery.

“These additives have to remain inactive for thirty years, only doing their job at the very end,” says Dewallef. “That requires deep chemical insight – but also a solid translation into industrial practice. We’re making sure these concepts can actually be implemented on real production lines.”

Bringing lab ideas to factory floors

The PVDEBOND consortium brings together a balanced mix of research institutions and industry leaders: recycling expert Galloo, PV policy think tank Becquerel Institute, chemical researchers at UHasselt, and nanotechnology giant imec. As industrial partner, SOLTECH provides the critical link between laboratory innovation and production reality.

The modules produced during the project serve as proof of concept: panels that perform reliably for 30 years, but are designed from the outset to come apart cleanly.

“Innovation without manufacturability is just theory,” says Dewallef. “Our role is to translate the vision into real-world production. Can this be laminated? What does it mean for thermal stability, for cost, for mechanical strength? We tackle those questions.”

Designing circularity into every layer

PVDEBOND does more than just improve recyclability. It rethinks the entire value chain – from materials selection to end-of-life processing. The goal is a truly circular PV industry, where panels are no longer seen as waste, but as recoverable assets.

It’s a vision in which performance and responsibility go hand in hand – and where companies like SOLTECH are helping shape not just the future of solar, but the future of how we leave things behind.

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Project Details
Name: PVDEBOND – Additive-enhanced recycling with Debonding-on-Demand technology
Partners: SOLTECH, Galloo, IP FAB, Becquerel Institute, UHasselt (ACC and IMO-IMOMEC), imec
Duration: 1 December 2024 – 30 November 2027
Funding: imec.icon project, supported by VLAIO