Solar PV Battery and Waste Management

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) launched a new programme on Solar and Battery Waste Management in its Fourth Assembly held virtually on 21 October 2021. The objectives of the programme are threefold:

• To reduce the amount of solar and battery waste

• To re-use components whenever possible

• To recycle the solar and battery waste

The creation of enabling ecosystems for sustainable solar and battery waste management will be encouraged in ISA member countries or at a more regional level.

Under this programme:

• ISA will promote implementation of 3Rs (Reduce, Re-use & Recycle) principle in Member countries for solar and battery waste management.

• ISA will strategically engage with national implementing agencies and policymakers in its Member countries through its unique political position. ISA’s key focus will be on helping Member countries in creating supportive policy & regulatory framework, identifying right business models specific to the countries, proposing possible solutions and providing recommendations.

• ISA will facilitate reduction in future solar and battery waste generation by supporting Member countries in developing eco-design rules and green procurement regulations for solar equipment.

• ISA will provide technical assistance to Member countries in identifying opportunities for repairing and re-using solar components.

• ISA will focus on developing framework for solar and battery waste collection and recycling in Member countries.

• Leveraging advantage of its wide network of partner organizations, ISA will assist Member countries in identifying partners in different stages of ecosystem creation and development.

Going forward, ISA envisages implementation of pilot schemes and projects for solar and battery waste collection and recycling across different Member countries.

ISA believes that solar energy can be truly green only if the waste generated from it creates minimal impact on the environment. ISA’s programme on Solar and Battery Waste Management aims at achieving circular economy in solar sector through reuse and recycling of solar and battery waste.