SBIR Phase I: Profitable Recycling of Silicon Solar Cells and Modules

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过减少长期潜在的环境影响，使太阳能产业更具可持续性。随着太阳能组件的快速部署，在15年内，报废组件的回收将成为一种必要。国际可再生能源机构（IRENA）估计，到2030年代初，报废模块将大量出现，到2050年，它们的总量将达到7800万吨。如今，大多数报废模块都被扔进了垃圾填埋场。更重要的是，该项目将开发一种技术，使回收业务在没有任何政府、财政和/或立法支持的情况下盈利。IRENA预测，到2050年，回收7800万吨模块将形成一个价值150亿美元的新产业。通过回收组件中所有有价值的组件，我们的技术有可能从7800万吨组件中产生600亿美元的收入。拟议的项目为硅太阳能电池和模块开发可持续的回收过程和相关设备。该项目的重点是回收电池和模块中所有有价值的、有毒的、笨重的组件，包括太阳级硅、银、铅、铜、锡、铝和玻璃。将证明回收的硅符合太阳级硅的规格，回收的金属纯度超过99%。太阳级硅回收率的目标是85%，金属回收率的目标，特别是银，超过90%。回收利用的化学物质将经过精心挑选，使其废物相互中和，对环境的影响降到最低。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to make the solar industry even more sustainable by reducting long term potential environmental impact. With the rapid deployment of solar modules, recycling of end-of-life modules will become a necessity in 15 years. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that end-of-life modules will appear in large quantities by the early 2030's and by 2050 they will total 78 million tonnes. Today most end-of-life modules end up in landfills. More importantly, this project will develop a technology to enable a profitable recycling business without any government support, financial and/or legislative. IRENA predicts a new industry worth $15 billion by 2050 from recycling 78 million tonnes of modules. By recovering all the valuable components in modules, our technology has the potential to generate $60 billion in revenue from 78 million tonnes of modules.The proposed project develops sustainable recycling processes and related equipment for silicon solar cells and modules. The focus of the project is to recover all the valuable, toxic, and bulky components in cells and modules including solar-grade silicon, silver, lead, copper, tin, aluminum, and glass. It will be demonstrated that the recovered silicon meets the specifications of solar-grade silicon and the recovered metals are over 99% pure. The target for solar-grade silicon recovery is 85% and the target for metal recovery, especially silver, is over 90%. The chemicals for recycling will be carefully chosen so their wastes neutralize each other for a minimal environmental impact.