Taisei Corp. has installed second-life solar panels on new office buildings at Fukoka Airport in Japan to test their performance in temporary power generation.
According to the company, the purpose of reusing the panels is to improve the carbon footprint of the construction site and also to test the performance of the solar modules for future applications where electricity production must be ensured for a limited time rather than the usual 25 years. a period of one year.
The panels for the construction site were supplied by the Japanese industrial group Hamada Co., Ltd. The company also operates in the recycling business of solar panels and in the delivery of end-of-life modules.
Hamada also said that it is currently working to increase sales of used panels in the Kanto, Kansai and Kyushu regions.
“Most of the recycled panels are exported overseas, but by building a market here, it is possible to properly dispose of end-of-life solar panels in Japan,” the company said.
In May 2021, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment published a guide with recommendations on the proper reuse of solar modules. The guidelines give priority to reuse over disposal or recycling, and confirm contract terms, inspection procedures and packaging methods for buyers and sellers participating in the reuse of modules.
