Recycled silicon used in 19.7% efficient PERC solar cells

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/02/07/recycled-silicon-used-in-19-7-efficient-perc-solar-cells/

"cell fragments with sizes from 0.1 to 1 millimeter are first freed from the glass and plastic by various sorting processes... followed by the step-by-step removal of the backside contact, the silver contacts, the anti-reflective layer and finally the emitter by wet chemical etching... achieve a power conversion efficiency of 19.7%. “This is below the efficiency of today’s premium PERC solar cells, which have an efficiency of around 22.2 percent"

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https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/07/25/industrial-process-for-mobile-solar-module-recycling/

New process extracts silicon from solar panels to build better batteries
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https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-gentle-method-eco-friendly-recycling-solar.html

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NTU Singapore found a way to extract high-purity silicon from old solar panels to reuse it in lithium batteries
https://ev-riders.com/news/ntu-singapore-found-a-way-to-extract-high-purity-silicon-from-old-solar-panels/

U.S. steel solar module frames have one tenth embodied carbon of Chinese aluminum alternatives
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/03/12/u-s-steel-solar-module-frames-have-one-tenth-embodied-carbon-of-chinese-aluminum-alternatives/