Economy & Tech

Solar Panels: Okayama-Based Company Unveils Groundbreaking Machine to Address Mass Disposal Problem

Niimi Solar's new machine uses heat to decompose solar panels and could prove to be a feasible solution to the coming era of mass disposal of solar panels.

Published

6 months ago

May 3, 2024

The Sankei Shimbun

The pyrolysis machine for solar panels completed by Niimi Solar Company, April 16, 2024, Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture (Kyodo)

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Solar Panels: Okayama-Based Company Unveils Groundbreaking Machine to Address Mass Disposal Problem

Okayama Prefecture-based Niimi Solar Company is known for developing pyrolysis, or heat decomposition, equipment for solar panels. On April 16, the company announced the completion of a working model for the market.

Widespread adoption of the machine would accelerate the proper disposal and recycling of solar panels. This could represent a major step forward in addressing the problem of mass disposal predicted for the late 2030s.

Low Environmental Impact

Niimi Solar developed the prototype of its product in 2019. The machine decomposes solar panels using high-temperature steam. This allows for high-purity recovery of materials like glass and copper wire without emitting carbon dioxide (CO2). Low environmental impact is a defining feature.

Three metal bins containing what appears to be pieces of glass, metal and wire that were recovered from solar panels — *Materials recovered from one solar panel and separated after treatment in the pyrolysis machine, April 16, 2024, Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture. (Kyodo)*

Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth to learn more about how this new machine could address the problem of mass solar panel disposal.

And find more great articles on the environment and the challenges of achieving the SDGs on our affiliated website Japan 2 Earth (J2E), sparking a transition to a sustainable future.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: The Sankei Shimbun