Recycling silicon from solar panels advances Europe’s green goals as well as creating jobs and harnessing scarce resources.

ROSI SAS, a tech start-up in France specializing in recycling raw materials from end-of-life solar panels, has been recognized with the EU’s first “Industry of the Future Award” for its innovative research supported by the EU’s Horizon program. With €700,000 in funding from Horizon Europe, their two-year project called Ramp-PV has significantly advanced their goal of becoming a global leader in reusing silicon and silver from photovoltaic (PV) waste. This support has enabled ROSI to move from the laboratory to industrial-scale operations, with plans to open a recycling plant in France early the following year and expand into Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The Ramp-PV project aligns with several key EU policies, contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy by enhancing the availability of valuable raw materials domestically. It also supports sustainability efforts by reducing industrial waste and aligns with the European Green Deal’s climate goals. By developing low-temperature chemical processes to recover raw materials from solar panels, the project promotes workplace safety and utilizes safer chemicals.

ROSI’s achievements have been celebrated as champions of change and innovation by European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, who emphasized the importance of developing solutions that conserve raw materials. The company’s expansion and industrial-scale operations have been made possible by Horizon funding, demonstrating the significant impact of EU support on advancing sustainable and circular economic practices in the photovoltaic industry.

Read the full magazine article here.