Attero joins National Institute of Solar Energy to advance solar panel recycling in India

The collaboration marks a significant step towards addressing the challenge of solar panel waste in the country, said the company which is India’s largest and the world’s largest recycler of lithium-ion batteries.

Under the agreement, NISE will provide support, knowledge and deep understanding of the current solar installation and scenario to Attero in its pursuit of research and development in the area of solar panel recycling.

The pilot project will also be conducted to test the solar panel recycling technology developed by Attero and the technology developed by NISE using end-of-life panels provided by the institute.

Both organisations will also explore establishing a dedicated test and research facility at the NISE campus to support recycling lithium-ion batteries and solar panels.

The partnership also aims to generate jointly authored technical reports and recommendations to guide the creation of effective recycling standards and frameworks for the sector in India and globally.

“This collaboration with NISE is a timely and strategic initiative. 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,” said Nitin Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Attero.

“Our goal is to build scalable, environmentally friendly and scientific recycling solutions that ensure critical materials are recovered and reused. With NISE’s strong understanding of the solar ecosystem and Attero’s proven recycling technology, this partnership can lay the groundwork for a global approach to solar panel recycling,” Gupta added.

According to Dr Mohammad Rihan, Director General of NISE, they are committed to advancing solar energy technologies and addressing associated 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 mentioned.

Solar panels typically have a life cycle of 20 to 25 years, and a significant volume is expected to reach end-of-life over the next decade.

India's solar energy sector has seen remarkable growth, with cumulative installed capacity reaching approximately 100.33 GW by the end of January 2025. This accounts for 47 per cent of the nation's renewable energy mix.

Initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to provide free electricity to one crore households through rooftop solar installations, are set to accelerate this expansion further.

However, this rapid adoption brings forth the challenge of managing end-of-life solar panels.

Projections indicate that India's cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) waste could reach approximately 600 kilotons by 2030 and rise to about 19,000 kilotons by 2050. Addressing this impending issue is crucial for the sustainability of the country's renewable energy initiatives, said Attero, the only company in the world to get carbon credits for recycling e-waste and Li-ion waste.