QAZAQ GREEN. SOLARCYCLE, a company specializing in solar panel recycling, in collaboration with the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU), has announced a major breakthrough in sustainable solar energy. As a result of their joint research, the team has developed a demonstration solar panel module containing 50% glass recovered from decommissioned solar panels, the company announced in a press release.

The demonstration panel, or "mini module", was developed in partnership with Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Led by Zachary Holman, Vice Dean for Research and Innovation, the project tested the performance potential of solar panels constructed with specialized recycled glass. The ASU team compared the performance of mini-modules made with recycled glass to those made with conventional materials. Testing revealed that the two groups showed comparable efficiency, with no significant differences in key performance metrics.

“This is exactly the kind of result we aim for in industry-academic partnerships,” said Holman. “We've proven that panels can be made more sustainably without compromising performance.”

SOLARCYCLE now plans to scale the innovation by building the world’s first facility for manufacturing solar glass from recycled materials next to its recycling plant in Georgia.

“Creating efficient panels from recycled components is an essential step toward a sustainable and resilient solar industry,” said Pablo Dias, SOLARCYCLE’s Chief Technology Officer and co-founder.

The panel development is part of SOLARCYCLE’s broader R&D program, involving more than 30 engineers and scientists from the U.S., Brazil, and China. The company actively partners with leading academic institutions, including ASU, to drive innovation and develop human capital in the field of green technologies.