EDF Renewables North America, one of the largest renewable developers in North America, has signed an agreement with SOLARCYCLE, a technology-based solar recycling company, to recycle solar panels damaged or broken during construction and operation, from their grid-scale, distribution-scale, and onsite solar sites.
"Today's agreement is part of EDF Renewables' long-term ESG roadmap and commitment to producing zero carbon energy that also contributes to a circular economy in the sector," said Edgar Puerto, Associate Director, Strategic Procurement at EDF Renewables. "As a company, we have committed to developing the recycling capability of our clean energy assets, starting with solar. We view this as a key strategy for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and catalyzing a new domestic supply chain for made-in-America solar products."
After a comprehensive evaluation of solar recycling solutions, EDF Renewables selected SOLARCYCLE as a preferred partner because of their deep commitment to innovation and proven high-value recycling process.
SOLARCYCLE's proprietary technology allows for the extraction of 95% of the value from recycled panels, including silver, silicon, copper, aluminum, and glass from recycled panels, a significant increase over the industry standard which is currently below 50%.
The recycler's patented processes are increasingly extracting value from each panel so that, combined with reverse logistics, they can provide the lowest-cost recycling solution to EDF Renewables that maximizes environmental benefits and supply chain resilience.
EDF Renewables also chose SOLARCYCLE as a preferred recycling partner because the company offers transparency and verification through advanced environmental reporting. SOLARCYCLE will, in turn, help EDF Renewables close the loop on the life of their solar systems by selling the recycled raw materials to the next wave of solar manufacturing in North America.
"As one of the largest clean energy companies in the world, we are thrilled that we were selected for this important initiative," said Jesse Simons, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder of SOLARCYCLE. "We are proud to partner with EDF Renewables, who went deep with us, with multiple visits to our factory, extensive audits, and a competitive RFP process. Today's announcement should be a sign to other global companies that recycling technology is ready today, and SOLARCYCLE is a preferred choice for companies with a commitment to safety, quality, environmental compliance, sustainability, and price."
About EDF Renewables North America
EDF Renewables North America is a market leading independent power producer and service provider with 35 years of expertise in renewable energy. The Company delivers grid-scale power: wind (onshore and offshore), solar photovoltaic, and storage projects; distribution-scale power: solar and storage; asset optimization: technical, operational, and commercial expertise to maximize performance of generating projects, and onsite solutions, through the Company's PowerFlex subsidiary, offering a full suite of onsite energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers: solar, storage, EV charging, energy management systems, and microgrids. EDF Renewables' North American portfolio consists of 16 GW of developed projects and 13 GW under service contracts. EDF Renewables North America is a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, the dedicated renewable energy affiliate of the EDF Group. For more information visit: www.edf-re.com. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
About SOLARCYCLE
SOLARCYCLE is a technology-driven platform designed to maximize solar sustainability by offering solar asset owners a low-cost, eco-friendly, comprehensive process for recycling retiring solar panels and technologies and repurposing them for new uses. The company's proprietary technology allows it to extract 95% of a solar panel's valuable materials, such as silver, silicon, copper and aluminum, and to recycle or repurpose panels for new uses. Experts in solar technology, recycling and sustainability founded SOLARCYCLE in 2022 to accelerate the circular economy for solar and renewables. www.SOLARCYCLE.us.
