In a major breakthrough for the solar industry, Heliene will make solar panels using SOLARCYCLE‘s ultra-low carbon solar glass made of recycled solar panel materials.
The North American solar panel manufacturer Heliene has partnered with the solar panel recycler, which means Heliene will now incorporate its ultra-low carbon glass – new glass made of recycled materials from retired solar panels – into new panels.
Over the next five years, SOLARCYCLE is set to deliver at least 4 gigawatts (GW), or around 20 million square meters, of recycled solar glass to Heliene. To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of covering about 3,700 football fields. This agreement is a win for both companies, aligning with their recent expansion plans fueled by the growing domestic solar manufacturing industry in the US.
Heliene continues to build out its manufacturing capacity, with operations running at full steam at its Mountain Iron, Minnesota, factory. The company is also ramping up module production in the Minneapolis metro area, plus taking strides into cell manufacturing through a joint venture with Premier Energies.
SOLARCYCLE, meanwhile, has announced its first-of-its-kind factory in Georgia, designed specifically to recycle materials from retired solar panels to create new solar glass. This new facility is expected to produce 5-6 GW of solar glass annually – filling a crucial gap in the domestic solar supply chain.
By purchasing SOLARCYCLE’s US-made ultra-low carbon glass, Heliene is set to help solar developers qualify for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives, stabilize costs, and ensure a steady domestic inventory. Manufacturing emissions will be reduced by over 30%, and shipping emissions by more than 50%.
“We’re thrilled to add glass to our growing set of domestically made materials that go into our modules,” said Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of Heliene. “Partnering with SOLARCYCLE allows us to not only bolster our supply chain with domestic components but also significantly reduce our carbon footprint.”
Peggy Churchill, marketing director at Integrity Environmental Solutions, said about the partnership, “Finally, there’s a viable marketable use for recycled solar panel glass without having to send it abroad. It’s been a long time coming.”
Read more: A much-needed solar cell factory is coming to the US
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