Toward Reuse-Ready PV: A Perspective on Recent Advances, Practices, and Future Challenges

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) industry is facing challenges in end-of-life (EoL) management, as cumulative PV waste is expected to increase exponentially over the next two decades. The increase in revamping and repowering activities, especially of older PV fleets, underscores the need to refine EoL strategies and increase the reuse readiness of PV modules and other components. As PV systems transition from operational to the EoL regime, streamlined PV qualification and repair strategies become indispensable. This is the only way to ensure reusable PV systems and a bankable second-life PV market. This perspective study sheds light on current research, innovations, practices, and future challenges toward higher PV reuse readiness in the PV industry, highlighting qualification methods, repair strategies, and standardization for PV reuse. An exemplary triage-for-reuse framework is discussed, involving four steps: 1) off-site eligibility checks; 2) on-site inspections and functionality tests; 3) collection and transportation; 4) deeper technical checks. The study also reviews recent advances and research in repair strategies for reuse—addressing notably reliability issues of backsheet, glass and interconnection components—as well as ongoing standardization efforts. Conclusions underscore the the pressing need for circularity in the entire PV products’ lifecycle: from design/material level to system, operations and maintenance, and EoL.