AGC Glass Europe and photovoltaic glass recycler ROSI have entered into a partnership to create a more sustainable value chain for flat glass.
Through this collaboration, AGC Glass Europe and ROSI aim to recycle and reuse high volumes of photovoltaic glass in the production of flat glass.
This not only provides necessary raw material for the glass industry, but also reduces the end-of-life environmental impact of photovoltaic panels.
The agreement was signed on September 13th in Saint Honoré, France, in the presence of Itochu, a major investor in ROSI.
ROSI recycles end-of-life photovoltaic modules into high-purity raw materials.
The recycling of glass requires 25% less energy than the production of virgin glass, which makes it more economic and sustainable.
With solar panels consisting of 70% glass, end of life panels have the potential to become a major component in the glass supply chain.
Marc Foguenne, Vice-President Sustainability at AGC Glass Europe, said: “We are making a significant step toward our goals of cutting Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 30% by 2030, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and reducing the environmental impact of our operations.
“Photovoltaic glass is very transparent and clean, making it a valuable source of recycled material for our factories. However, it has a different composition from our standard products, meaning technical innovation is mandatory to allow for recycling within our processes.
“That is precisely where ROSI comes in as a technical partner for integrating sustainable practices, which are at the core of our values.”
In addition to supporting the circular economy, both companies can reduce the carbon emissions associated with glass manufacturing.
The use of 1 ton of glass cullet as a secondary material in float glass production saves 0.7 tons of CO2 and 1.2 tons of new raw materials.
Research and development teams have already conducted successful tests on the use of glass cullet from photovoltaic panels in the production of flat glass, demonstrating the feasibility of using recycled glass without compromising the quality or performance of the final product.
The results indicate that the incorporation of recycled glass has potential to become a standard part of AGC’s production process.
