India’s solar drive earns strong international approval. The transition still masks a rising waste challenge.
Over slightly more than a decade, India became the world’s third-largest solar power producer. Renewable energy now anchors national climate ambitions. Solar panels blanket vast parks and spread across rooftops nationwide.
Large utility-scale parks generate most solar electricity. Millions of rooftop systems also feed power into the grid. Government figures show nearly 2.4 million households joined a subsidised solar scheme.
Solar growth reduced dependence on coal-based power. Thermal and other non-renewables still exceed half of installed capacity. Solar energy now delivers more than 20 percent. This progress introduces a new environmental concern.
Clean Power, Complex Aftermath
Solar panels generate clean electricity during operation. Their end-of-life treatment can harm the environment.
Panels consist mainly of glass, aluminium, silver, and polymers. They also contain small amounts of toxic metals. Lead and cadmium can contaminate soil and water if mishandled.
Most solar panels operate for about 25 years. Owners then remove and discard them. India has no dedicated budget for solar recycling. Only a few small facilities process old panels today.
India provides no official solar waste figures. One estimate placed volumes near 100,000 tonnes by 2023. Projections suggest 600,000 tonnes by 2030. Experts warn the largest surge still lies ahead.
The Cost Deferred by Time
Experts caution that waste risks will arrive later. Without early investment, systems may struggle to cope.
The Council on Energy, Environment and Water released stark projections. India could generate more than 11 million tonnes of solar waste by 2047. Managing this would require nearly 300 recycling facilities. Investment needs could reach 478 million dollars.
Most large solar parks emerged during the mid-2010s. The main waste wave will arrive within 10 to 15 years, says Rohit Pahwa of Targray. Preparation must start now.
India’s outlook mirrors global experience. The United States could generate between 170,000 and one million tonnes by 2030. China could approach one million tonnes after similar expansion.
Regulation Trails Installation Speed
Countries address solar waste through very different policy systems. Regulation often lags behind rapid deployment.
In the United States, recycling depends largely on market forces. State-level rules create fragmented oversight. China, like India, continues to build its framework. Both lack fully developed national systems.
India placed solar panels under electronic waste rules in 2022. The policy assigns end-of-life responsibility to manufacturers. Companies must collect, store, dismantle, and recycle panels. Enforcement remains uneven.
Experts highlight weaknesses in household installations. Home systems account for five to ten percent of capacity. These units remain difficult to track and collect. Their combined waste still creates pressure.
Where Old Panels End Up
Broken or unwanted panels often reach landfills. Others flow through informal recycling networks. Unsafe methods can release toxic substances. Authorities have not issued detailed public explanations.
Environmental expert Sai Bhaskar Reddy Nakka warns against false reassurance. Solar power appears clean for two decades, he says. Without recycling, it risks leaving abandoned modules behind.
Challenges also create economic opportunity. Rising waste will increase demand for specialised recycling firms, Pahwa says.
Efficient recycling could recover 38 percent of materials by 2047. It could also prevent 37 million tonnes of emissions from mining. The CEEW analysis highlights these benefits.
India already supports markets for recycled glass and aluminium. Recycling can also recover silicon, silver, and copper. These materials can support new panels or other industries, says study co-author Akansha Tyagi.
Current recycling practices remain basic. Operators focus on low-value materials. Precious metals often disappear or produce minimal returns.
Choices That Will Shape the Outcome
Experts say the next decade will define India’s solar legacy. The country must build a regulated recycling system. Public awareness must increase. Waste collection must integrate into solar business models.
Companies earning from solar power should manage panels after failure, Nakka argues. Responsibility should not end with installation.
Without proper recycling, today’s clean energy could become tomorrow’s environmental burden.
