2Recycle will be responsible for the collection and consolidation of end-of-life solar panels in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The company draws on an established network that provides full coverage across the region. The solar panels are then recycled at the SOLAR MATERIALS facility in Magdeburg, Germany, using a new approach with a focus on automation and high-value recycling. The collaboration starts with a pilot phase, with the goal of establishing a long-term partnership for the Benelux region.
SOLAR MATERIALS’ recycling process differs from conventional recycling methods, which rely on mechanical shredding and lose valuable rawm aterials like silver and silicon in the process.
The thermomechanical process works like a solar panel production process in reverse: the panels are gradually separated into their individual layers to recover the materials in high purity.
The demand for recycling solutions is foreseeable: the Netherlands has the highest solar panel density per person within Europe, with an average of 3.5 panels per inhabitant. The first solar parks from the early 2000s are already approaching their end-of-life. After more than 20 years of operation, solar panels show signs of aging, such as performance loss or material degradation, making continued operation unviable, safety-critical,and non-compliant. A recent study by TU Delft estimates that the Netherlands will generate 40,000 tons of end-of-life solar panels per year by 2030, rising to 120,000 tons by 2050. That is the equivalent of 40 full truckloads per day.
Solar panels fall under the European WEEE Directive for electrical and electronic waste and
can contain hazardous substances that must be disposed of properly. At the same time, they contain critical raw materials like silver and silicon, for which global demand continues to grow. What appears to be a waste problem today is in reality an untapped source of raw materials.
„The Benelux region is facing a wave of decommissioned solar panels. If materials are not recycled, we do not only lose critical raw materials but also value. SOLAR MATERIALS has the
technology to do so, and together with 2Recycle, a partner that knows the region and brings
the network to close this gap“, says Dr. Jan-Philipp Mai, Co-Founder & CEO of SOLAR
MATERIALS.
Eric van Kimmenade, CEO and owner of 2Recycle, adds, „Our strength lies in the efficient
organization of e-waste recycling streams and international logistics. SOLAR MATERIALS’
business model complements our portfolio by enabling us to return valuable raw materials
from solar panels to the circular economy.“
SOLAR MATERIALS and 2Recycle will be together at Solar Solutions International in
Amsterdam (10–12 March 2026, Stand B15).
