In the context of photovoltaic (PV) module recycling, component extraction refers to the process of disassembling PV modules to recycle and reuse materials. Its core objective is to separate and extract valuable materials from retired modules, thereby reducing resource waste and environmental pollution. The core components of a PV module mainly include solar cells, glass, EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer) film, backsheet, aluminum frame, and solder strips (containing copper, lead, tin, etc.). Among these, glass and aluminum frames account for the largest proportions, approximately 70% and 18% of the total module weight, respectively; silicon materials in the solar cells account for 3%-5%, and they also contain precious metals such as silver. The focus of recycling is on extracting rare metals and valuable materials, such as silicon, silver, copper, and aluminum.
According to the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, China will begin to generate a large number of retired photovoltaic (PV) modules in 2025; after 2030, the amount of PV module waste will reach its peak, reaching approximately 18 GW, or about 1.4 million tons; and by 2040, the cumulative amount of PV module waste will reach 253 GW, or about 20 million tons. From a market perspective, the PV module recycling industry has enormous potential; it is estimated that this market size could exceed 100 billion yuan. By 2030, the value of raw materials recovered from retired modules alone is expected to reach 7.7 billion yuan. The “2024 China Photovoltaic Recycling and Reuse White Paper” released by the Photovoltaic Industry Development Cooperation Center of the Photovoltaic Committee of the China Green Supply Chain Alliance further points out that, under the scenario of early retirement, the cumulative market size of PV recycling is expected to reach approximately 26 billion yuan by 2030 and approximately 420 billion yuan by 2050.
