On March 3, 2026, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), in collaboration with five other government departments, released comprehensive guidelines to boost the recycling and utilization of decommissioned photovoltaic (PV) modules. By taking these steps, the world’s largest solar market aims to build a systemic capacity to effectively manage the massive wave of aging solar panels expected to be retired in the near future.
To ensure the sustainability of the rapidly growing solar energy sector, Beijing is taking proactive steps to build a circular economy. The clear objective of the newly published official guidelines is to ensure that the photovoltaic industry becomes as green in its waste management as it is in its energy production.
Upgrading Green Manufacturing and the 250,000-Tonne Target
The new state guidelines aim to further elevate the standard of green manufacturing for PV modules and increase the proportion of recycled materials used in production processes. The document places a strong emphasis on improving scrap evaluation standards, as well as targeted testing and inspection methods.
The regulation also establishes a specific, quantified industry target: the cumulative comprehensive utilization of decommissioned PV modules must reach 250,000 tonnes.
Technological Breakthroughs and Material Repurposing
The ministerial directive urges immediate technological breakthroughs to achieve faster and more efficient industrial processing. The three primary technical focus areas during the recycling process include:
-
The safe dismantling of the surface structure of solar panels.
-
The high-efficiency, precise separation of laminated components.
-
The extraction of valuable components and secondary raw materials.
For materials recovered from recycled solar panels, the Chinese government advocates for broadening their market applications. The guidelines explicitly encourage integrating these secondary products into metallurgy, equipment manufacturing, and the building materials industry.
Standardization and the 2030 Industry Vision
Under the strategy, immediate efforts will be made to develop a new technical standard system covering the green design of PV modules and their comprehensive end-of-life recycling. Additionally, the government aims to cultivate and support a group of leading “backbone enterprises” specifically dedicated to the industrial-scale processing of aging solar panels.
The document also outlines long-term infrastructure expectations for 2030. By the end of the decade, Beijing’s guidelines aim to achieve the following:
-
Continuous upgrading of recycling technologies and machinery.
-
Significant strengthening of industrial innovation capabilities.
-
Expansion of market application scenarios for recycled products.
-
Creation of a more closely coordinated, transparent upstream and downstream supply chain.
-
Establishment of a rationally distributed, logistically optimized national capacity network capable of smoothly handling large-scale retirements.
Official Source and Reference: The original English-language state announcement can be read on the official website of Xinhua (Chinese News Agency): China issues guidelines to boost recycling, utilization of solar modules – Xinhua (english.news.cn)