AGC Glass Europe and SOLAR MATERIALS, a German cleantech startup specialising in the innovative recycling of photovoltaic (PV) panels, have entered into a strategic partnership that will focus on integrating high-purity recycled flat glass (cullet) recovered from end-of-life solar panels into AGC Glass Europe’s float glass production process. It will leverage AGC’s extensive experience in glassmaking and SOLAR MATERIALS’ patented, chemical-free recycling technology to advance circularity in the flat glass industry.
The use of flat glass cullet is a cornerstone of sustainable manufacturing: it requires up to 25 percent less energy for melting and reduces the need for virgin raw materials like sand and soda ash. As solar panels comprise approximately 70 percent glass, they represent a vital future resource for the flat glass industry in Europe.
SOLAR MATERIALS’ technology boasts an impressive 98 percent recovery rate of a panel’s total weight, ensuring that materials like glass, aluminium, silicon, and copper are efficiently returned to their respective value chains. This initiative not only secures an essential raw material for glass manufacturing but also drastically reduces the environmental footprint of both the solar and electronic waste management sectors in Europe.
The high-purity flat glass cullet produced by SOLAR MATERIALS’ process represents a valuable new resource. Using one tonne of glass cullet as a secondary raw material in float glass production saves 1.2 tonnes of virgin raw materials and 0.7 tonnes of CO2. SOLAR MATERIALS’ process enhances these savings even further.
Through this partnership, both companies’ teams will co-develop the integration pathway into advanced float glass manufacturing. Continuous research and industrial pilots are designed to perfect this process, ensuring it upholds the superior quality and performance of all AGC products.
This partnership is a significant step in expanding AGC’s capacity to source recycled materials from across Europe, feeding its Recycled Glass program and float glass furnaces with high-quality. It marks another important milestone in AGC’s commitment to creating a sustainable circular value chain for the flat glass industry, spanning the architectural, automotive and solar sectors.