Renewables equipment distributor Segen has launched a solar panel recycling scheme for commercial projects in the UK.
April 1, 2026
Renewables equipment distributor Segen has launched a solar panel recycling scheme for commercial projects in the UK. 
The company announced the plan today, to serve decommissioning and repowering needs for commercial solar installations. It said that as the UK’s solar capacity continues to grow, managing modules at the end of their life or when replaced with newer technologies is of increasing importance. 
Segen said it will recover silver, silicon and high-purity glass from decommissioned modules, which it said would then be “fed back into the manufacturing chain.” The company did not give further details of this claim, regarding where or how the materials would be returned to the PV manufacturing chain. 
The company will charge £6 for each panel below 2m in size and £7 for anything larger. It said it plans to launch a service for residential module recycling in “phase 2” of the scheme, which is currently under development. 
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Per media reports, Darren Sykes, head of warehouse & logistics UKI at Segen, said: “With the UK’s commercial solar capacity continuing to expand rapidly, more installations are reaching the end of their operational life, or being repowered as technology advances.
“As the UK’s largest renewables distributor, we consider it our responsibility to deliver a practical, reliable and cost-effective solution. Our recycling scheme will not only ensure panels are handled safely, but will also recover valuable materials for reuse, reduce landfill impact, and strengthen our customers’ ESG credentials.” 
Currently, solar modules in the UK are required to be recycled under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, with some firms already offering recycling services. However, according to law firm Osborne Clarke, writing for Solar Power Portal last year, the cost of these recycling obligations can be complex, especially when considering modules which may have become defective and failed to reach their expected usable lifespan. 
PV recycling and end-of-life have become a major concern in many developed markets. Our sister site, PV Tech, has covered the matter extensively, most recently in a deep dive on the US module recycling industry (subscription required). Other markets, notably Australia, have also made significant efforts to deal with the growing amount of PV waste as the industry proliferates. 
Will Norman
Senior Reporter, Informa
Will is a senior reporter who primarily covers the policy and geopolitics behind the energy transition, with a particular focus on manufacturing. 
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