The scale of photovoltaic recycling industry was relatively small in 2023

According to Cheng Gangqi, director of Wind and Solar Equipment Recycling Committee in the China National Resources Recycling Association, in 2023, the scale of photovoltaic module recycling and processing in China was about 60,000 kilowatts, with a total of 109,091 photovoltaic modules (operating losses were not included in the statistics).

The scale of the photovoltaic recycling industry began to grow rapidly in 2024

In 2024, the scale of the photovoltaic recycling industry began to grow. On the one hand, on August 21, 2024, the "Implementation Plan for Large-Scale Equipment Updates in Key Energy Fields" was released to encourage the update of high-efficiency photovoltaic module power generation equipment. Zhejiang Province proposed to complete the retirement of more than 100,000 kilowatts of photovoltaic installed capacity by 2027. In 2024, Huzhou, Jinhua, Quzhou, Wenzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Hangzhou and Pinghu, Jiaxing in Zhejiang Province jointly promoted the replacement of photovoltaic modules with large modules or new modules for old modules that have been in operation for more than 10 years, with a panel power of less than 250 watts and an energy conversion efficiency of less than 18%-20%. Pinghu City has publicized the draft for soliciting relevant opinions, and will provide a one-time subsidy of 0.2 yuan/watt for technical transformation power stations according to the updated capacity.

Qinghai Province and Shaanxi Province have also issued relevant policies to support the technical transformation of old photovoltaic power stations that have been in operation for more than 10 years.

After the announcement of the implementation plan for large-scale equipment renewal in key energy sectors, many power stations in Zhejiang Province, Jiangxi Province, Qinghai Province, Yunnan Province and other places have completed the equipment renewal of replacing old photovoltaic modules with new ones.

On the other hand, according to Cheng Gangqi, director of Wind and Solar Equipment Recycling Committee in the China National Resources Recycling Association, for example, Super Typhoon Yagi (No. 11 in 2024) caused the scrapping of photovoltaic modules with an installed capacity of about 100,000 kilowatts.