MANY MINDEDFrance's solar panel recycling surge hits 13,760 tonnes in 2025
France collected 13,760 tonnes of end-of-life solar modules in 2025—a 40% increase from 2024—through Soren, a French state-approved organization. Soren processed 12,736 tonnes that year with a recovery rate exceeding 90%, yielding 10,684 tonnes of reusable materials and 1,298 tonnes of energy from the panels. The system also generated €12 million in eco-contributions from 600 member producers and operated on a €15.47 million budget.
This scale demonstrates how structured recycling infrastructure can tackle solar waste while simultaneously freeing critical materials for future energy expansion. By preventing hazardous accumulation and recovering materials at near-industrial rates, Soren’s model directly supports the transition to renewable energy without relying on new mining or landfill disposal.
For abundance, this means solar panel waste no longer becomes a barrier to clean energy growth. The recovered materials reduce pressure on raw material supply chains and avoid environmental harm from panel disposal. However, the 180,000-tonne projection by 2040 lacks uncertainty ranges, and the 'exceeding 90%' recovery rate has no precise measurement. What to watch: whether Soren can maintain this recovery rate as panel volumes grow and whether the 2025 data (reported in August 2026) accurately reflects the full year’s activity.
Source: pv magazine