Co-Chairs Rausch and Barber, Vice Chairs Fernandes and Cataldo, and members of the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Nathan Raike and I am here on behalf of RENEW Northeast (RENEW),1 its manager of state and local affairs, to offer testimony on S.550 – An Act relative to solar and battery decommissioning and recycling; H.904 – An Act relative to solar and battery decommissioning and recycling; and, H.974 – An Act relative to solar panel recycling.
RENEW supports responsible use of clean energy resources including sustainable disposal solutions through advanced recycling and repurposing methods that will minimize waste and maximize the environmental benefits of clean energy. We are ready to assist the General Court with its efforts to understand the state of recycling efforts for end-of-life clean energy equipment.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, utility-scale solar deployment will need to grow at an accelerated pace—at least four times its current rate—to meet 40% of the nation’s electricity needs by 2035. This makes effective end-of-life management of solar panels, through safe disposal and recycling, a critical part of the energy transition.2
Helpful information is already available. Last year, the Connecticut Green Bank issued a report addressing solar panel and battery recycling that is based on a literature review of policies, programs, and practices in other jurisdictions. It contains feedback on the environmental effects of improper end-of-life management as well as identifies waste management strategies. Additionally, as part of New Jersey’s efforts to address the impacts of climate change that legislature established the New Jersey Solar Panel Recycling Commission to study and investigate options for recycling and other end-of- life management options for photovoltaic and other solar energy generation structures. The Commission final report in November 2023 provided recommendations for recycling solar panels, including sending components to verifiable end-markets, and extended use and reuse of solar panels.
As the industry grows, so does the potential value of these recyclable materials. Solar panels present minimal risks to the environment or human health, even in the event of breakage. This is largely due to solar panels being primarily made of non-hazardous materials and can be safely disposed of in municipal landfills.
The solar and battery storage industry, research organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholder groups continue to take steps to increase solar panel recycling and battery storage technological advances for alternative uses for the decommissioned panels and materials.
Contact:
Nathan Raike, Manager of State and Local Affairs
RENEW Northeast, Inc.
nraike@renew-ne.org
1 The comments expressed herein represent the views of RENEW and not necessarily those of any particular member of RENEW. RENEW is a non-profit association uniting environmental advocates and the renewable energy industry whose mission involves coordinating the ideas and resources of its members with the goal of increasing environmentally sustainable energy generation in the Northeast from the region’s abundant, indigenous renewable resources.
2 Department of Energy. 2022. “Solar Futures Study.”