A holistic reverse logistics planning framework for end-of-life PV panel collection system design

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies are critical for sustainable energy supply, climate change mitigation, and energy security with lower environmental impact compared to other generation alternatives. Despite the environmental benefits of PV technologies, one of these major downsides is the growing concern over the environmental impact due to risks associated with improper waste handling and disposal of decommissioned PV panels. As a result, there are strong incentives for PV panel recycling to recover valuable resources and mitigate risks caused by hazardous substances. This study proposes a reverse logistical planning framework for collecting end-of-life PV panels, which aims to support the integration of existing recycling technologies and collection schemes using a holistic approach for ensuring feasibility and reducing environmental impact. The framework reviews current recycling methodologies for PV waste and the state of PV markets, including PV uptake, waste stream forecast, collection and logistic strategies. Additionally, South Australia is used as the context of analysis for a case study where the framework is applied to identify the potential strategies for handling and collection of end-of-life PV panels based on current PV uptake and waste stream forecast. As a result, capital, transportation and operation costs can be reduced, contributing to lower overall recycling cost for the PV waste treatment and a more efficient reverse logistic system.