Eco‐Efficient Processing and Refining Routes for Secondary Raw Materials from Silicon Ingot and Wafer Manufacturing
In the ICARUS project, European partners collaborate to develop and scale innovative technologies for recovering and refining secondary raw materials from silicon photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing. The production of photovoltaic modules generates significant quantities of waste, particularly silicon kerf, graphite, and silica residues from ingot and wafer manufacturing. ICARUS aims to transform these waste streams into high‐value secondary materials suitable for reintegration into the PV value chain and other industrial applications. Four industrial pilot‐scale processes are developed, targeting the purification and reuse of these materials. Results from the pilots demonstrate both the technical feasibility and economic potential of substituting these recovered materials for virgin and critical raw materials. This work provides a viable pathway toward a more resource‐efficient and circular PV manufacturing industry.
Authors
- E. Milani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1349-5746)
- M.J.U.T. Pieterse
- Iratxe de Meatza (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8245-5815)
- Rudi Peché (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1447-3442)
- Almut M. Schwenke
- Stefan Fischer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4715-3384)
- Theodora Kyratsi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2916-1708)
- Roland Riva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4114-1224)
- Guy Chichignoud (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6626-192X)
- Martin Bellmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3327-5230)
- Berhane Darsene Dimd (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3524-4940)
- Wolfram Palitzsch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5780-1322)
- Victorien Iwaszko
- Huiping Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6691-3481)
- Arne K. Dahle
- Philippe Lenain
- A.-K. Søiland
- Eirik Nordboe
- C. Landaas
Institutions
- SINTEF (NO)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- Battery Park (US)
- University of Cyprus (CY)
- Norsk Elektro Optikk (Norway) (NO)
- Mapi Research Trust (FR)
- SurgiMedia (France) (FR)
- NorSun (Norway) (NO)
- Institut Polytechnique Saint-Louis (FR)
- Nierstichting (NL)
- Freiberger Compound Materials (Germany) (DE)
- Siemens (Sweden) (SE)
- Centre for Electrochemical Technologies (ES)
- SGL Carbon (Germany) (DE)
- Consortium for Coordination of Research activities Concerning the Venice Lagoon System (IT)
- Trilobite (Norway) (NO)
- Bifa Umweltinstitut (DE)
- Silicon Labs (Norway) (NO)
- Ansgar University College (NO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research
- Published
- 2025-11-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202500282
- Primary Topic
- Photovoltaic Systems and Sustainability
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00