The “Hidden Cost” of the Green Transition

Τhe vigor transition is advancing rapidly. Photovoltaic panels are spreading crossed rooftops and fields, while monolithic vigor storage units utilizing batteries are emerging to screen the large “weakness” of renewable sources—namely, the instability of their production. However, down this “green” image, a little visible occupation is emerging: what happens when each these systems scope the extremity of their beingness cycle?

The answer—at slightest successful theory—is simple: recycling. In practice, however, it proves complex, with manufacture stakeholders describing it arsenic the “Middle East of the vigor market.” In Greece, the contented is processing into a “time bomb.” By 2055, much than 1 cardinal tons of photovoltaic sheet waste are expected to beryllium generated, with the wide influx anticipated aft 2030, when the archetypal ample projects will person aged.

The improvement of photovoltaics successful Greece has been impressive. By 2012, astir 125,000 tons of photovoltaic panels had already been installed, marking the archetypal large signifier of the technology’s penetration. During the play 2013–2020, different 115,000 tons were added, successful a marketplace that continued to turn but without a licensed recycling system. The existent “boom,” however, was recorded successful the five-year play 2021–2025, with 400,000 tons of photovoltaics installed, reflecting the accelerated acceleration of the greenish transition and foreshadowing the aboriginal situation of managing their waste. At the aforesaid time, batteries—the caller “heart” of the vigor system—are entering the marketplace dynamically, creating, together with photovoltaics, two parallel waves of waste that will δοκιμή the resilience of some the marketplace and the state.

25–30 years their lifespan

Photovoltaics person a lifespan of 25–30 years, meaning that the “boom” successful installations implicit the past 15 years will σύντομα turn into a “boom” successful waste. Today, recycling is moving at… idle speed. Only 500 tons person been recycled by Fotokyklosi, the lone Collective Alternative Management System (CAM) operating since 2020, contempt existent needs estimated astatine 2,500 tons of waste annually.

Last year, the Hellenic Recycling Organization (EOAN) licensed three caller systems (RE-LAT, a subsidiary of the Aktor Group; PV REVIVE by JinkoSolar and Kafkas; and ANAFOS). However, the main occupation of publication evasion remains, creating a backing spread for the 4 systems and the three existing photovoltaic recycling units operating successful Crete, Western Macedonia, and Central Greece, with a total capableness of 10,000 tons annually. Without funding, investments successful caller recycling units cannot beryllium made, nor tin a due absorption concatenation beryllium created. Contribution evasion is estimated astatine €150 million, arsenic for the bulk of photovoltaic panels imported into the Greek market, nary recycling interest has been paid.

A large “thorn” has been the back-and-forth implicit the level of the recycling fee. In the years 2020–2022, it was acceptable astatine €300 per ton, a level considered precocious by the marketplace and which led to non-compliance by investors. In 2023–2024 it was reduced to €150, without substantial betterment successful interest payments. In 2025 it returned to €300, with EOAN committing that the last minimum publication level will beryllium determined aft evaluating information and absorption costs.

According to what EOAN CEO Alexandra Sofia Togia told To Vima, the study assigned to PricewaterhouseCoopers connected the minimum recycling interest will beryllium presented successful May, and the astir apt script will beryllium approved. As she explains, the request arose due to the fact that successful the concern plans submitted by absorption systems for approval, important discrepancies were observed successful estimated recycling costs—from €290 to €470 per ton—and successful the projected contributions—from €80 to €340. “An contented of recycling credibility arose. We proceeded with the study to guarantee transparency and adjacent treatment of obligated producers,” she notes.

The planned accommodation of the interest has placed the marketplace successful a waiting position, arsenic noted by Stelios Psomas, advisor to the Association of Photovoltaic Companies, while a ample information of investors explicit interest astir the temporarily precocious recycling fee, considering it discouraging—especially for the outgo of retroactive contributions for quantities of photovoltaic panels that entered the Greek marketplace successful erstwhile years. To curb publication evasion, the postulation of information from competent authorities is being considered regarding projects that person already been connected oregon are to beryllium connected to the energy grid.

If photovoltaics bespeak the existent magnitude of the problem, batteries outline the adjacent one. Energy storage is considered captious for the transition, arsenic the summation successful renewable sources requires large-scale accumulators. The absorption outgo of these products, which person a lifespan of much than 15 years, is precocious and reaches astir 10%–15% of the investment, driving up recycling contributions arsenic well.

Although nary contented of retroactive contributions has arisen for batteries, EOAN accepted proposals from the marketplace regarding financing mechanisms. Thus, connected Holy Monday it made decisions for the absorption systems Combatt and RE-Battery, defining the model for the outgo of recycling fees by importers and producers (a akin determination has besides been made for the “Hephaestus” system).

Given the precocious recycling cost, a dual “scheme” is foreseen: an archetypal publication that will screen the cognition of absorption systems and a slope warrant for the remaining amount, depending connected the weight of the batteries installed successful a project. This will beryllium gradually repaid from the investment’s revenues, with a corresponding simplification of the guarantee. Moreover, recycling costs will beryllium revised based connected technological and marketplace developments. The extremity is to debar repeating the mistakes of photovoltaics so that a caller wave of “orphan” waste is not created without the indispensable backing for its management.

What is happening successful Europe

At the European level, artillery recycling is successful a improvement phase, but adjacent there it does not support gait with existent needs. More than 30 artillery absorption projects are operating oregon under improvement successful Europe, though astir fractional look delays. Battery waste flows are estimated to scope astir 420,000 tons annually by 2030, expanding exponentially thereafter.

As for photovoltaics, installed capableness successful Europe and the United Kingdom exceeds 360 GW (gigawatts), but astir panels are comparatively caller and person not yet completed their beingness cycle. Thus, the large wave of waste is expected aft 2030.

Source: tovima.com