PHOTO BY: 陈斌勤
REDUX was pleased to be featured by Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) in its recent story on how end-of-life solar panels can be recovered and transformed into materials with potential applications in the built environment.
The article highlights REDUX’s collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic (SP), where recovered glass from solar panels is being further processed and explored for use as building material aggregates. The development is part of a broader effort to find higher-value applications for recovered solar panel materials and strengthen circularity beyond recycling alone.
The feature also looks at REDUX’s integrated solar panel recycling facility in Tuas and the growing need to prepare for increasing volumes of end-of-life solar panels in Singapore. REDUX has recycled more than 100 tonnes of solar panels over the past six months, with volumes expected to grow as more installed panels eventually reach the end of their useful life.
Through continued collaboration, research and responsible resource recovery, REDUX aims to explore how materials from end-of-life solar panels can be given meaningful second-life applications while contributing to a more circular use of resources.
PHOTO BY: 陈斌勤
The recovered solar panel materials are being developed into different types of building material granules, with larger porous particles offering thermal and sound insulation properties for non-load-bearing walls, while smaller particles may be used in seamless plaster coatings. The materials have also passed leaching tests, helping to ensure that toxic elements or heavy metals are not released into the environment. According to Singapore Polytechnic, approximately 60–70 kg of building material granules can potentially be produced from every 100 kg of solar panel waste, with the research team working towards larger-scale production and industry adoption.
