Early backsheet removal as a strategy to optimize photovoltaic panel recycling by thermal treatment

Recycling End-of-Life (EoL) photovoltaic (PV) panels is crucial to support circular economy goals in the solar industry. A major challenge lies in separating module components while minimizing contamination between different materials fraction. This study evaluates selective, pre-emptive backsheet (BS) removal as a pre-treatment upstream of the 9-Tech pilot-scale thermomechanical recycling process. Modules with and without BS were compared in terms of material recovery, energy demand, recovered-fraction composition, and flue-gas emissions. BS removal did not adversely affect the main material recovery yields and avoid contamination of the recovered glass, PV-cell/silicon-rich, metallic and fine fractions with respect to backsheet-derived TiO2. Particulate emissions decreased from 69.0 to 44.1 mg/Nm³. Because the tested backsheet was non-fluorinated, HF remained below the analytical detection limit in both configurations; however, upstream removal of fluorinated backsheets would be expected to prevent the backsheet-derived contribution to HF formation during thermal treatment. The trade-off was an approximately 20% increase in external propane demand due to the lower calorific contribution of the feed after BS removal, while electricity consumption remained unchanged. Selective BS removal therefore improves recovered-material quality by limiting backsheet-derived TiO₂ cross-contamination and reduces particulate emissions while enabling separate recovery of the polymeric backsheet, although the additional thermal-energy demand must be considered.