A team of scientists has developed a sustainable method to recycle perovskite solar cells using water instead of toxic solvents, offering a promising solution to the growing issue of electronic waste in renewable energy.

Perovskite solar cells are lightweight, flexible, and capable of converting solar energy into electricity with up to 25% efficiency, rivaling silicon-based panels. However, their shorter lifespan and lack of efficient recycling methods have raised environmental concerns.

“There is currently no efficient technology to deal with the waste of silicon panels. That’s why old solar panels end up in the landfill,” said Xun Xiao, postdoctoral researcher at Linköping University.

The researchers aimed to address this issue by developing a recycling method that allows all components—covering glass, electrodes, perovskite layers, and charge transport layers—to be reused without compromising performance. Unlike conventional recycling methods that use hazardous chemicals, this new approach relies solely on water, significantly reducing environmental impact.

“We need to take recycling into consideration when developing emerging solar cell technologies. If we don’t know how to recycle them, maybe we shouldn’t put them on the market at all,” noted Feng Gao, professor of optoelectronics and study co-author.

This method is particularly crucial because perovskite cells contain small amounts of lead, requiring a responsible recycling process to prevent environmental contamination. Traditional methods often use harmful, carcinogenic compounds found in industrial paint solvents. The new water-based approach eliminates these risks while maintaining the efficiency of recycled cells.

“There are many companies that want to get perovskite solar cells on the market right now, but we’d like to avoid another landfill,” said co-author Niansheng Xu. “In this project, we’ve developed a method where all parts can be reused in a new perovskite solar cell without compromising performance.”

The breakthrough could pave the way for a circular solar economy, ensuring that renewable energy technologies remain sustainable throughout their lifecycle. With further development, this innovation could help mitigate electronic waste while reducing the overall cost of solar energy.