Maxeon Solar Technologies Ltd. has launched a partnership with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), through its Energy Research Institute (NTU ERI@N) to research ways to improve solar recycling.
NTU ERI@N has comprehensive research facilities and expertise in the area of solar recycling. Through this partnership, NTU ERI@N and Maxeon will collaborate to investigate green chemistries, explore opportunities for upcycling components and identify ways to maximize material recovery. NTU ERI@N will also perform a comprehensive lifecycle assessment of Maxeon’s Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) panels at the end of their useful life.
“The partnership with NTU ensures that our longer-lasting panels will serve a purpose even after their useful lives have ended and will play an important role in driving sustainable economic growth,” says Bill Mulligan, CEO of Maxeon.
Maxeon says its “Powering a Circular Economy” policy begins with Maxeon’s responsible sourcing programs, covers lean manufacturing and packaging reduction, and ends with how Maxeon approaches recycling for panels that need to be retired.
“It is my hope that our Powering a Circular Economy policy will be a standard-bearer for the industry, both demonstrating to our customers that they have found the right solar supplier for a sustainable planet and also encouraging other participants in the industry to up their game,” says Lindsey Wiedmann, chief legal officer and global ESG executive leader at Maxeon.