Renewables
Gujarat solar waste management study projects rising recycling needs
Researchers project that Gujarat will need substantial solar module recycling capacity by 2035 as installations expand.
Key points
- Gujarat held approximately 30.1 GW of large-scale solar installations by June 2026.
- Annual solar module waste in the state could reach up to 50,000 tons by 2050 under baseline conditions.
- The state may require about 50 tons per day of recycling capacity by 2035.
What happened
According to Mercom India reporting, a study conducted by academics from Pandit Deendayal Energy University and King Khalid University examined the future of solar photovoltaic waste in Gujarat. The state ranked second across India for large-scale solar capacity by mid-2026, reaching 30.1 GW. Analysts warn that earlier installations commissioned between 2010 and 2015 will soon reach retirement age, driving up module discards.
Under baseline models, annual solar waste in the region could climb from below 1,000 tons in 2026 to roughly 3,000 tons by 2030. This trajectory suggests the state will need around 15 tons per day of recycling infrastructure by the end of the decade, scaling up to between 40 and 50 tons per day by 2035. By mid-century, annual discards could hit 50,000 tons under a standard 30-year module lifespan, or approach 70,000 tons under accelerated retirement timelines.
What comes next
To manage the anticipated influx of discarded hardware, the researchers proposed establishing at least six regional collection hubs alongside phased processing facilities. Each hub would initially aggregate roughly 10,000 tons of waste annually before transport to recycling plants. Financial modeling for a 100-ton-per-day facility indicated that material recovery revenues depend heavily on silver extraction, which accounts for about 59 percent of recovered value. Regulatory bodies in India have introduced initial storage and handling guidelines under existing waste management rules to prepare for the growing volume of retired clean energy equipment.
Why it matters
As nations across the Global South rapidly expand photovoltaic capacity to meet electricity demand, managing end-of-life infrastructure becomes an urgent environmental and economic priority. While India achieved near-universal electricity access with 99.9 percent of its population connected by 2024, according to World Bank figures, planning for solar waste remains an emerging frontier. Emerging economies scaling up renewable portfolios must integrate robust recycling frameworks early to recover critical minerals like silver, aluminum, and copper, preventing future environmental hazards and securing secondary supply chains.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
19.1% of electricity in India was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
