The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is utilizing a Request for Information (RFI) to gather formal industry feedback that will shape future federal research and funding for solar decommissioning.
Image: JoseMalagonArenas, Pixabay
As the United States accelerates toward its decarbonization goals, the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) is turning its attention to the back end of the value chain. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking industry-wide input on technical research opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) system end-of-life (EOL) management.
The move comes as the industry prepares for a significant increase in retired assets. While solar modules are designed for a 25-to-30-year lifespan, the volume of early deployments reaching maturity is creating an urgent need for sustainable, cost-effective circular economy solutions.
The main goal of the RFI is to map the current landscape of PV recycling and reuse in the U.S. while identifying the specific technical and economic hurdles that prevent these practices from scaling.
Currently, the cost of recycling a solar panel exceeds the cost of landfilling, a gap that SETO aims to close through targeted research and development. The RFI seeks feedback from stakeholders including manufacturers, project developers, waste management firms, and academic researchers.
Research areas include:
For utility-scale and C&I solar stakeholders, EOL management is transitioning from a “nice-to-have” to a core operational and regulatory concern. As more states consider landfill bans for electronic waste and PV components, the industry must develop a standardized domestic infrastructure for decommissioning.
“As PV deployment increases, so will the amount of PV systems that will be retired,” said the Department in the RFI notice. “Better end-of-life handling… is needed to minimize the environmental impact of PV system waste.”
The DOE is also exploring how EOL practices impact the broader supply chain. By recovering critical minerals domestically, the U.S. can reduce its reliance on international imports, a key pillar of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) long-term strategy for energy security.
How to participate
The DOE is looking for granular data and strategic perspectives to shape future funding programs. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback on the economic viability of current recycling technologies and where they believe federal R&I dollars would have the most significant impact. 
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