A research team from Japanese diversified technology group Hitachi, Ltd, chemicals company Tokuyama Corporation, and workplace furnishings manufacturer Itoki Corporation has demonstrated a complete solution to recycle solar PV panels into new office furniture, specifically in a metal-framed privacy pod with semi-transparent glass.
Creating the privacy cabin prototype required input from all three partners. Tokuyama provided its low-temperature pyrolysis technology for high-quality separation of panel components; Hitachi provided the non-destructive glass plate inspection equipment to ensure that recycled panels were not damaged by cracking or alkaline elution, which was said can occur on the glass surface when exposed to water or alkaline solutions for extended periods outdoors; and Itoki designed the conference booth that utilizes the unique characteristics of the recovered plate glass.
The structural strength was enabled by combining glass and steel surfaces, while tiny irregularities in the cover glass could be integrated in the view-blocking feature, according to the team.
The three companies began the joint research project in September 2024 with the aim of finding an additional, high-value recycling option for PV cover glass, beyond making it into glass cullet for construction industry applications, such as fillers for roads.
“The plate glass used in solar panels accounts for approximately 60% of their weight, and reusing this glass in a high-value-added manner is crucial to increasing the recycling rate of solar panels,” said the team in a statement. It expects about 500,000 tons of end-of-life solar panels in Japan by 2030.
The initiative reportedly marks the first time that plate glass recovered from solar panels has been reused in office furniture without being crushed, according to joint internal research.
Plans for commercialization include building supply chains involving office furniture and building material supply industries, developing business models, standards, quality verification protocols, and evaluation technologies.
Image: Itoki
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