Attero & NISE Sign Mou For Solar Panel Recycling

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, April 17 (KNN) Cleantech company Attero has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), to advance solar panel recycling capabilities in India.

This collaboration represents a significant step toward addressing the growing challenge of solar panel waste management in the country.

Attero, recognised as India's and the world's largest recycler of lithium-ion batteries, will benefit from NISE's extensive knowledge of India's current solar installation landscape.

Under the terms of the agreement, NISE will provide Attero with support and expertise to further research and development initiatives focused on solar panel recycling technologies.

The partnership includes plans for a pilot project to test both Attero's proprietary recycling technology and technology developed by NISE using end-of-life panels supplied by the institute.

Additionally, both organisations will explore establishing a dedicated test and research facility at the NISE campus that would support recycling efforts for both lithium-ion batteries and solar panels.

The collaboration aims to produce jointly authored technical reports and recommendations to guide the development of effective recycling standards and frameworks, both for India and global markets.

Nitin Gupta, CEO and Co-founder, Attero, emphasised the strategic timing of this initiative, stating: "As India continues to expand its renewable energy capacity, there is a growing need to address the environmental impact of end-of-life solar panels. Recycling infrastructure has to evolve alongside generation capacity if we want to close the loop and avert a future waste crisis."

Dr. Mohammad Rihan, Director General, NISE, expressed the institute's commitment to advancing solar energy technologies while addressing related challenges.

"Partnering with Attero, a leader in e-waste recycling, allows us to combine our expertise to tackle the critical issue of solar panel waste management effectively," he noted.

With solar panels typically having a 20-25 year lifespan, industry projections indicate that India will face significant volumes of end-of-life panels over the next decade.

This issue comes at a time of remarkable growth in India's solar energy sector, with cumulative installed capacity reaching approximately 100.33 GW by the end of January 2025, representing 47 percent of the nation's renewable energy mix.

Government initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to provide free electricity to one crore households through rooftop solar installations, are expected to accelerate this expansion further.
Forecasts suggest that India's cumulative solar photovoltaic waste could reach approximately 600 kilotons by 2030 and increase dramatically to about 19,000 kilotons by 2050.

Addressing this impending challenge is crucial for the sustainability of the country's renewable energy initiatives, according to Attero, which currently stands as the only company worldwide to receive carbon credits for recycling e-waste and lithium-ion waste.

(KNN Bureau)

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