Qcells, which operates the largest solar panel manufacturing operation in the Western Hemisphere from its factories in northwest Georgia, is expanding into a new part of the business.

The company said Monday it is launching a new business arm, EcoRecycle by Qcells, near its Cartersville plant, to recycle end-oflife solar installations to decrease waste, reduce the industry’s environmental footprint and repurpose key materials such as aluminum, silver, copper and glass.

It’s unclear how many jobs might be added in Georgia as part of this new venture.

EcoRecycle will launch in Georgia, but is intended to expand nationwide. At full capacity, the Georgia location alone will be able to recycle about 500,000 panels annually.

“Effectively managing solar waste is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the clean energy sector,” Kelly Weger, senior director of sustainability at Qcells, said in a press release.

In addition to finding new uses for solar waste, the program will help Qcells source more solar cell components domestically, reducing the amount of raw goods it must import amid heightened trade tensions and tariffs.

Sustainable goals

Solar is the fastest-growing clean, new energy source in the U.S. and worldwide. In January 2024, the Energy Information Administration projected solar would provide 7% of all U.S. electricity in 2025. Last year was record-breaking for both the state and the nation in terms of solar installation.

Georgia ranked 12th nationally with more than 1.5 gigawatts of solar installed in 2024 — more than double the capacity installed in 2023. Qcells significantly contributed to the 190% increase in solar module manufacturing in Georgia.

With the amount of solar waste expected to continue to increase and with no mandatory recycling regulations, Qcells said it is positioning itself as an industry leader. EcoRecycle has three key initiatives intended to contribute to “a cleaner, more sustainable future for solar energy,” according to a press release. The idea is to make recycling cheaper, extract as much reusable material as possible and reduce carbon emissions, making domestic solar manufacturing more sustainable.

This is not Qcells’ first foray into solar recycling. Last year, Qcells launched a partnership with Texas-based SOLARCYCLE, which has a recycling facility in Polk County. But EcoRecycle creates a more self-contained process along the entire supply chain, the company said.

“Recycling is absolutely feasible,” Weger said. “One of the key barriers historically in the U.S. has been cost, so we’re really excited that cost continues to be able to be driven further down.”

Additionally, using recycled materials results in significantly lower carbon emissions than extracting raw materials from underground, Weger said. It also can decrease emissions by reducing shipping.

Economic policy

China dominates the global solar supply chain, both in terms of the raw materials and in production of panels.

The domestic solar industry has been hurt by Chinese manufacturers dumping panels at low prices into the U.S. market, industry advocates say. Presidents Donald Trump (in his first term) and Joe Biden both slapped tariffs on Chinese-made panels to support U.S. production.

But the domestic industry also has been hit recently by tariffs on imported raw goods needed to make panels here.

EcoRecycle will allow Qcells to import less raw material, lessening Qcells’ exposure to import taxes. Just last week, Trump increased duties on foreign steel and aluminum to 50%.

Tariffs aren’t the only significant economic policy issue in play, though. Republican efforts to revoke a variety of federal tax credits that the company and its customers benefit from could cause significant issues for green energy companies.