Interzero: 2,000 tonnes of silicon recovered from solar panels

In just over two years of operation, Interzero Italia has managed to recover around 2,000 tonnes of silicon from end-of-life photovoltaic panels – equivalent to approximately one million panels processed – reintroducing the material into the industrial market and marking a significant turning point in the circular economy of solar energy. Interzero Italia does not process the material directly, but is now one of the leading Italian companies in the sector and operates as a structured intermediary in the supply chain for the recovery of silicon from end-of-life photovoltaic panels, purchasing the silicon separated from the cells and reselling it to specialised foundries.

Silicon, a strategic material for industry, accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the total weight of the panel and, according to estimates, almost all of the silicon present in the modules can be recovered. Recovering it is no easy task: the cells are difficult to separate from the glass and the silicon is bonded to other materials. Interzero sorts the material and sends it to non-ferrous metal foundries equipped with specialised furnaces.

The innovation introduced by Interzero lies in the creation of a supply chain in which the recovered silicon does not end up in low-value applications, but is re-evaluated and reintegrated. When the purity level does not allow it to be reused to produce new photovoltaic panels, the recycled silicon can be used in industrial alloys for the automotive and shipbuilding sectors and, in most cases, in electronic applications such as chips. In this way, a photovoltaic panel can continue to generate value even after the end of its life cycle.

“Silicon recovery,” says Mario Bagna, CEO of Interzero in Italia, “represents a quantum leap, enabling the material to be genuinely refined. Although there is not yet a fully regulated trading market for recycled silicon, a new economic sector is emerging in which Interzero is already active and well-established. The company plans to expand its partnerships with foundries and suppliers, increase its purchase and sales volumes, and contribute to the creation of an integrated industrial system on a European scale.” The company supports over 80,000 customers across Europe, employs 2,000 staff and generates a turnover of nearly one billion.