New Thermomechancial Test to Assess the Recyclability Index of Photovoltaic Modules

In the context of the increasing efforts to enhance the sustainability of photovoltaic (PV) technologies, recyclability has emerged as a critical aspect to address within the circular economy framework and EU regulatory directives. This study focuses on new thermomechanical tests developed to address the recyclability of PV modules. Specifically, new thermomechanical techniques have been designed to evaluate the dismantlability of PV modules, focusing on two critical processes: the removal of the aluminium frame and the separation of the PV laminate (backsheet + encapsulant + solar cell) from the glass substrate(s) (or both substrates in the case of glass-glass modules). For the frame removal test, the required maximum force was measured to assess the dismantling efficiency. The separation of the PV laminate was achieved using a thermomechanical technique, ensuring precision, measurability and repeatability of the process. These techniques were applied to a set of 18 modules, comprising two units of nine distinct models representing various PV technologies.