Driving innovation for eco-design and circular economy in the photovoltaic industry.
In today's rapidly evolving world, sustainability is no longer optional. It's a necessity. At CSEM, we are shaping the future of the solar industry by developing sustainable photovoltaic (PV) technologies that reduce environmental impact, promote resource efficiency, and support transition to a circular economy.
Our innovative solutions are designed to help industry partners tackle pressing sustainability challenges and future-proof their PV technologies.
1️⃣ Accurate environmental impact assessment
We perform robust Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to quantify the environmental footprint of PV technologies—from raw materials to end-of-life.
2️⃣ Eco-design of solar panels
We focus on designing PV systems for longevity, recyclability, and minimal resource dependency by integrating material innovation and process optimization.
3️⃣ Enhanced recycling and circularity
We are involved in projects to develop and test advanced processes to improve the recovery and reuse of materials (glass, aluminum, silicon, polymers) from aging solar panels.
4️⃣ Regulatory compliance and reporting automation:
We support industry partners in meeting EU sustainability regulations (e.g. Digital Product Passport) and provide fast, accurate LCA with thorough reporting.
Our commitment to sustainability extends to eco-design, whose primary goal is to create products with minimal environmental impact. At CSEM, we apply Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a widely recognized methodology, to evaluate the environmental footprint of photovoltaic products throughout their lifecycle, from raw material extraction to recycling.
To ensure the accuracy and relevance of LCAs, especially in the rapidly evolving solar industry, it is essential to rely on up-to-date and high-quality data. Therefore, we have undertaken a comprehensive update of the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) of PV wafers, cells, and modules, based on the latest industrial best practices.
This diagram presents the Life Cycle of any type of product, highlighting key principles of the circular economy and eco-design. It shows how materials and products can be managed to minimize waste and pollution. The Circular Economy loops illustrate strategies such as reuse, remanufacture, and recycle, feeding materials back into earlier stages of the PV product lifecycle.
The illustration shows the breakdown of environmental impacts in HJT module production.
Environmental impact breakdown:
Key mitigation strategies:
A broader analysis, including the use phase and end-of-life of PV modules, reveals that, beyond reducing and replacing resource-intensive materials, such as silicon wafers and silver metallization, the most effective lever for sustainable PV design is to extend product lifespan.
These insights are now being translated into applied research through CSEM’s expertise in materials innovation and scalable manufacturing processes, as well as its active involvement in EU projects.
In the SHINE PV project, we assess copper plating reliability, following the latest industry standards, to replace silver in the metallization of solar cells. This shift aims to reduce reliance on rare and energy-intensive metals, while maintaining high electrical performance and manufacturability.
In the RESILEX project, we develop processes and conduct thorough reviews and tests of the most promising materials to produce sustainable and reliable PV products. Key activities include:
As the global volume of end-of-life solar panels increases, so does the urgency to improve recycling efficiency: At least 85% of their weight, which mainly consists of glass, aluminum (from the frame), and copper (from the cables), has to be recycled in Europe (Sources: EU Commission Directive and U.S. Department of Energy).
While this provides a strong foundation, the industry must go further. The rising volume of aging PV panels presents an opportunity to recover more complex materials and realize both economic and environmental benefits through advanced recycling and reuse strategies.
Our goal is to close the loop by reintegrating recovered components into the solar value chain—transforming recycling from a waste-reduction effort into a true circular economy enabler.
Sources:
CSEM is at the forefront of circular PV research through key initiatives:
The European Green Deal requires greater transparency to lower carbon emissions. In this context, the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a system that collects and shares sustainability data across a product’s lifecycle, is being put in place for various products between 2026 and 2030.
CSEM contributes to this effort through the EMPOWER project, which is helping define the DPP framework for the photovoltaic industry, ensuring traceability of environmental and social data from manufacturing to end-of-life.
Our in-house software enables companies to automate LCAs for multiple PV designs—reducing time, cost, and complexity.
Whether you're developing new solar technologies or meeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and compliance requirements, our tools provide precise, fast, and compliant environmental data.
Life cycle analysis (LCA) tool developed for solar PV systems, assessing environmental impacts across the entire lifecycle — from raw material extraction to end‑of‑life recycling, based on bill of materials, datasheet, and tunable parameters.
We deliver LCA-based reports in EPD-style documents, without the lengthy data gathering usually required. These ready-to-use outputs help solar companies communicate sustainability credentials clearly, credibly, and quickly.
The report details key specifications, including datasheet of the PV panel (dimensions, module efficiency, weight, degradation rate), along with a bill of materials (BOM) and LCA methodology complemented with results.
By facilitating eco-design through automated LCA and sustainability reporting, we help companies innovate faster, make data-driven design decisions, and deliver market-ready sustainable PV products.
Life Cycle Assessment isn’t just for sustainability teams; it supports smarter decisions across the entire organization:
Are you looking to integrate eco-design and circularity into your photovoltaic systems? Join our experts to explore how CSEM can help you achieve your sustainability goals. Partner with us to drive innovation and build a sustainable future for the solar industry.