LONDON (Reuters) – Sustainable materials company EMR has joined Solar Energy UK to help develop solutions for the recycling and repurposing of end-of-life solar assets in the UK. The move aligns with EMR's commitment to increasing circularity in the solar energy sector.
Solar Energy UK, a trade association representing over 400 companies across the solar energy supply chain, will provide a platform for EMR to collaborate with industry leaders, innovators, and investors. Currently, treatment options for end-of-life solar assets in the UK are limited, but the partnership is expected to accelerate efforts to address this challenge.
Ben Lester, EMR's market development lead, emphasized the importance of the collaboration: “At EMR, we have long been focused on helping innovative businesses in the renewable energy sector find credible, effective, and sustainable ways to reuse, repurpose and recycle their end-of-life assets.” He continued, “Joining forces with similarly focused businesses and organisations as part of Solar Energy UK represents an exciting opportunity to share our progress, learn more about the industry's needs and add our voice to the call for better regulation and support for the sector, as a whole.
The partnership comes after the opening of EMR's Wind Turbine Processing Centre in Glasgow, further expanding the company's footprint in renewable energy asset recycling. EMR, known for its recycling and repurposing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as plastics through MBA Polymers UK, has the capability to process various solar panel components. The company is also one of the largest recyclers of waste electronics and electrical equipment in the UK.
Lester highlighted the long-term potential of solar panel recycling: “Right now, the number of solar panels that reach end of life in the UK is very small. Yet, by 2050, the industry expects there will be over 1 million panels that need decommissioning in this country alone. That gives EMR – and its customers and partners – a valuable headstart when it comes to building and scaling up an effective circular economy for the materials they contain.
Solar Energy UK's chief executive, Chris Hewett, welcomed EMR's involvement: “I am very pleased to see EMR join the Solar Energy UK family and welcome its work to improve the sustainability of the sector. Demand for solar recycling services is going to expand significantly in the coming years, particularly as first-generation assets are retired and repowered, so EMR is wise to get ahead of its competitors.
The collaboration signals a proactive approach to the growing need for end-of-life solar asset management, with both companies working towards a more sustainable future for the renewable energy industry.
