Published: 18. 11. 2024

Along with the construction of new photovoltaic power plants, CEZ is responsibly considering the entire life cycle of solar panels and ensuring sufficient capacity for their ecological recycling. The latest major partner in this area is Dekonta, whose certified recycling line in Kralupy nad Vltavou has started normal operation after obtaining all necessary permits. A unique set of seven machines developed by Czech engineering companies can process two thousand tonnes of panels per year. It can sort valuable metals, glass, plastics and other raw materials from each one and prepare them for use in the downstream processing industry.

At the beginning of the recycling line there is a broken or non-functioning photovoltaic panel, most often with dimensions of 2×1 meter. At the end of the line are the individual separated raw materials, which go to different industries or can be used directly to produce new panels. Three specialists first prepare the panels for processing and then move the parts between the main parts of the Dekonta line. The photovoltaic panel processing plant in Kralupy nad Vltavou, Central Bohemia, has just received all the necessary permits and started normal operation. Several tonnes of discarded photovoltaic panels are recycled here per day, approximately two thousand tonnes per year. The line, which can prepare more than 80% of the weight of the panels for further use, was built as part of a project supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

“Photovoltaic power plants are already an important part of the CEZ Group’s production from renewable sources, but their importance in strengthening the Czech Republic’s energy security and self-sufficiency will grow significantly. In the coming years, CEZ will build thousands of MW of new photovoltaic power plants not only in large solar parks, but also on the rooftops of households, companies and municipalities. As a company committed to the principles of sustainable development, we must therefore already think today about ensuring that these activities do not place a burden on the environment. We are expanding our network of partners for the responsible ecological disposal of end-of-life panels, which will become a source of valuable raw materials for Czech industry,” says Ladislav Trylč, Managing Director of ČEZ Recycling, which operates one of the largest collective recycling systems in the Czech Republic.

Read the full press release: here