Solar Recycling Research & Development

The Solar Energy Technology Recycling Research, Development, and Demonstration Program is designed to award financial assistance to eligible entities for research, development, demonstration, and commercialization projects to create innovative and practical approaches to increase the reuse and recycling of solar energy technologies.

Overview

Office:

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

New Program:

Yes

Funding amount:

$20,000,000

Funding Mechanism:

Cooperative Agreements and Management and Operating Contracts at National Laboratories

Recipients:

An Institution of Higher Education; a National Laboratory; a Federal Research Agency; a State Research Agency; a Research Agency Associated with a Territory or Freely Associated State; a Tribal energy development organization; an Indian Tribe; a Tribal organization; a Native Hawaiian community-based organization; a nonprofit research organization; an industrial entity; any other entity, as determined by the Secretary; or a consortium of 2 or more entities described here.

Period of Availability:

Available until expended

More Information

Projects aimed at increasing the reuse and recycling of solar energy technologies, including:

Increasing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the recovery of raw materials from solar energy technology components and systems, including enabling technologies such as inverters;
Minimizing potential environmental impacts from the recovery and disposal processes;
Advancing technologies and processes for the disassembly and recycling of solar energy devices;
Developing alternative materials, designs, manufacturing processes, and other aspects of solar energy technologies and the disassembly and resource recovery process that enable efficient, cost effective, and environmentally responsible disassembly of, and resource recovery from, solar energy technologies; and
Strategies to increase consumer acceptance of, and participation in, the recycling of photovoltaic devices.