As more governments, businesses, and homeowners are making the decision to go solar, there is a natural focus on the positive environmental impact. By the end of 2020, Arch Solar had offset 46,373 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to planting 54,940 acres of trees. In the face of this amazing effect solar can have on our planet, it raises another question – what is the environmental impact of solar when the panels have finished their lifespan and switch off?

When solar panels have served their purpose, it is essential that sustainability-minded companies take care to dispose of them responsibly. Recycling solar panels is a more challenging process than one may think at first glance due to the different types of materials such as glass, silicon, metal, and artificial compounds such as EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) and PVB (polyvinyl butyral).  In order to recycle the panels, these materials have to be separated in a way that still allows them to be reused for a new purpose.  Some of the major parts of the recycling process are:

  1. Removing the aluminum frame (100% reusable)
  2. Separating the glass along a conveyor belt (95% reusable)
  3. Thermal processing at 500 degrees Celsius (This allows for the evaporation of small plastic components and allows the cells to be easier separated)
  4. Etching away silicon wafers and smelting them into reusable slabs (85% reusable)

 

Arch Solar is proud to be investing in the future and has partnered with We Recycle Solar to sustainably dispose of old or damaged solar panels. You can learn more about them at http://werecyclesolar.com/about-us/

At A Glance

  • System Size

    173.6kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $28,483 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    184,864 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    26kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $4,238 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    Two Rivers Water & Light

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    2,411,958 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    23.8kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $3,716 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    1,948 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    197.6kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $22,293 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    20,695 Gallons of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    149.5kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $23,913 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    1.8 Tanker Trucks of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    123kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    Madison Gas & Electric

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    13,709,514 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    389kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $56,681 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    44,398,424 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    133.2kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $1,114,935

  • Utility Provider

    Madison Gas & Electric

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    14,727 Gallons of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    25.7kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    26,293 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    26kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

At A Glance

  • System Size

    28.86kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

At A Glance

  • System Size

    43.6kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $151,039

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    4,817,623 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    73.84kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $329,713

  • Utility Provider

    Plymouth Utilities

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

At A Glance

  • System Size

    64.845kw

  • Estimated Annual Savings

    $21,442

  • Utility Provider

    WPS

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

At A Glance

  • System Size

    133kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $386,522

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    12,550 Gallons of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    26.6kw

  • Estimated Anual Savings

    $3,953

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    12,578 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    128.7kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $513,821

  • Utility Provider

    Manitowoc Public Utilites

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    13,964,512 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    45.5kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $275,531

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    4,679,952 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    1.825 MW

  • Estimated Savings

    $103,000 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Direct Sell Rate Tariff

  • Environmental Equivalents

    1,740,000 ton of CO2 emissions

At A Glance

  • System Size

    388.8kw

  • Annual Savings

    $51,288

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    26,104 gallons of gasoline consumed. 22,789 gallons of diesel consumed. 256,673 pounds of coal burned. 3.1 tanker trucks' worth of gasoline.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    388.9kw

  • Annual Savings

    $51,340

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    26,135 gallons of gasoline consumed. 22,815 gallons of diesel consumed. 256,973 pounds of coal burned. 3.1 tanker trucks' worth of gasoline.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    299.3kw

  • Annual Savings

    $42,934

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    20,076 gallons of gasoline consumed. 17,526 gallons of diesel consumed information. 197,404 pounds of coal burned.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    50.7 kW - DC

  • Estimated Savings

    $10,329

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Line Side/Parallel Generation (CGS-NM)

  • Environmental Equivalents

    361,853lbs of coal burned annually

At A Glance

  • System Size

    31.87 kW

  • Estimated Savings

    $4,998 Anually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Monthly Net Metering (CGS-NM)

  • Environmental Equivalents

    CO2 Emissions: 22.6 Metric Tons 2,341 Gallons of Gasoline

At A Glance

  • System Size

    370kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $1,053,732

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    401,786 lbs. of Coal or 44,218,770 smartphones charged.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    389kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $1,190,164

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    384,108 lbs. of Coal or 42,273,187 smartphones charged