Towards an equitable future of global photovoltaic waste recycling

Towards an equitable future of global photovoltaic waste recycling | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Social Sciences - Article Towards an equitable future of global photovoltaic waste recycling Jiashuo Li, Chen Wang, Jian Zuo, Yu Xin, Xi Liu, Peipei Tian, and 5 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6661667/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The world is facing a mounting challenge from the rapid increase in global photovoltaic (PV) waste, as the first generation of PV systems has reached their service life1,2. The climate and economic performance of PV waste management depends heavily on the selection of appropriate recycling strategies3,4. Here, we develop a comprehensive framework to evaluate recycling strategies across 30 regions from 2020 to 2060, assessing the economic and climate benefits of local versus outsourced recycling, covering major recycling technologies. Global PV waste is expected to reach 175–305 million tons (Mt) by 2060, with middle-income countries like China becoming major contributors post-2040. Recycling can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 117 Mt CO2 equivalent and yield US$3.3–18.9 billion in annual net benefits by 2060. Outsourced recycling lowers costs, however, raises inequity concerns for low-income regions. Our results highlight that subsidies temporarily mitigate disparities however wane in long-term efficacy. We suggest that phased subsidy frameworks and international cooperation, with a focus on technology transfer and funding for recycling capacity in low-income countries, provide effective ways to achieve equitable and scalable PV waste circularity. Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences/Energy and society/Energy policy Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files supplementaryinformation0514.pdf Towards an equitable future of global photovoltaic waste recycling Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6661667","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Social Sciences - Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":461691065,"identity":"83431577-866c-45e1-8979-ed5d964f0f9d","order_by":0,"name":"Jiashuo 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