TNO develops breakthrough for circular solar energy
May 15, 2026 – The first generation of solar panels is reaching the end of its lifespan. To prevent scarce raw materials from being lost, smart solutions are needed. Researchers at TNO have found a breakthrough: a sustainable, innovative laser technology. This laser technology represents a fundamentally different way of recycling. By 2024, approximately 24 percent of the world’s mined silver will have been used in solar panels. The new laser technology is expected to recover as much as 99 percent of the silver. Moreover, this method consumes many times less energy.
Solar panels are designed to last a long time. Disassembling the materials is therefore not easy. And that currently poses a problem for recycling. With a laser-based approach, TNO offers a solution to this. The technology dismantles solar panels many times more efficiently, while preserving valuable raw materials. This is important to keep solar energy affordable and less dependent on scarce (imported) raw materials.
