Greece’s system for recycling solar panels is struggling with financing shortfalls and uneven participation as the country braces for a surge of photovoltaic waste expected to exceed 1 million tons by 2055, according to a new study.
Most of that waste will begin entering the market after 2034, when the first large generation of solar installations reaches the end of its lifespan, a study presented this week by Fotokiklosi SA, Greece’s approved recycling system for electrical and electronic equipment waste, has shown.
Despite the scale of the coming challenge, the current system remains limited. Since expanding in 2020 to include photovoltaic panels, Fotokiklosi has collected and sent for recycling more than 500 tons of panels, or around 20,000 units from installations across Greece.
But the system faces structural problems. Greece currently generates about 2,500 tons of solar panel waste annually, and participation by companies responsible for financing recycling remains incomplete.
One major obstacle is widespread fee evasion among producers and importers obligated to contribute to the recycling system. According to Fotokiklosi General Director Dimitris Christogiannopoulos, the lack of full participation weakens the system’s financial base and limits the ability to expand collection and processing capacity.
“The further development of organized recycling requires the gradual and full participation of all obligated producers in financing the system,” he told a press briefing where he presented the report.
Until recently, a significant share of photovoltaic waste was exported for recycling. Since last year, however, processing has been carried out entirely within Greece at facilities in Crete, Central Greece and Western Macedonia.
Officials say a planned minimum recycling fee for photovoltaic panels, to be announced by the Hellenic Recycling Agency, could help create a clearer and more stable framework for the sector.