OnePlanet Solar Recycling Positions Early in Emerging Solar End-of-Life Market

A LinkedIn post from OnePlanet Solar Recycling LLC highlights management’s view that the rapid build-out of solar over the past two decades has not been matched by equivalent investment in end-of-life infrastructure. The post references comments from CEO André Pujadas in an Interesting Engineering interview, framing the emerging need for large-scale panel recycling as both a risk and an industrial growth opportunity.

The post suggests that OnePlanet is positioning itself to capture this opportunity by applying circular-economy practices learned from the steel scrap industry to solar modules. It notes that the company is developing infrastructure in the Southeast, including what it describes as the nation’s first R2v3 Appendix G certified solar recycling facility, which could support early-mover advantages in a market expected to grow as millions of panels reach end-of-life.

For investors, the messaging points to a potential long-term demand driver tied to projected volumes of 70 million panels reaching end-of-life annually by the 2030s. If these projections materialize and regulatory or customer requirements favor certified recycling, OnePlanet’s early investment in compliant capacity could enhance pricing power, create recurring revenue streams from decommissioning, and strengthen its competitive position within the broader clean-energy value chain.

The content also implies execution and policy risks, as the scale and timing of monetization may depend on regional regulations, OEM and utility recycling commitments, and capital requirements to expand infrastructure beyond the initial Southeast facility. However, by linking its strategy to established scrap-metal and circular-economy precedents, the company appears to be signaling a business model that could benefit from industrial know-how, potential operating efficiencies, and eventual consolidation trends in solar waste management.