From waste to value:
advanced PV panel recycling technology

It adds the part that generates the most value: the economic recovery of higher-quality materials. Incorporating a waterjet machine into an existing shredding process improves the ROI of the line, as the added value lies in the waterjet process, which maximizes economic recovery through higher-purity raw materials.

The waterjet process enables the recovery of clean glass and separates the remaining fraction into plastics, copper, and a much cleaner silicon and silver powder fraction than what is obtained through shredding. This is one of its key differentiators: not only the panels are recycled, but raw materials are recovered with higher quality for better revalorization.

The main difference is that waterjet does not mix or degrade materials in the same way as shredding. Its selective layer-by-layer separation results in less damage to silicon and reduced cross-contamination between materials. The silicon and silver powder obtained is much cleaner than in shredding processes, where it typically carries more plastic and glass residues.

Not necessarily: waterjet complements shredding. Unbroken panels can go through waterjet to economically recover glass, silicon, and silver, while others (such as broken panels or double-glass modules) are processed through other routes, including shredding. Both can be combined within a global solution.

The waterjet process can handle all types of crystalline silicon (c-Si) glass-backsheet (monofacial) photovoltaic modules that do not have broken glass (to ensure the purest recovery of silicon and silver), including different cell technologies such as Al-BSF, PERC, TOPCon, and HJT.

Yes. It can be designed as a standalone machine or as part of a complete line, with integration into existing plants. When the flow of panels that meet the conditions for waterjet processing is sufficient, incorporating a waterjet machine is more profitable than sending those panels to shredding.

Broken panels or those not suitable for waterjet must be recycled through other routes, with shredding currently being the most common solution (even though it reduces the value of recovered raw materials).

Both, but it is primarily designed with the value of recovered materials and process integrity in mind, not just to meet minimum recycling targets (although it does that as well).

The line capacity is 60 panels per hour, with individual machines having different throughput: 60 panels for the de-framing, 40 panels for the waterjet and 50 panels for the shredding. This may vary depending on panel size).

Yes. It is. Waterjet is a clean process that does not require ovens or chemical reagents and operates with high-pressure water in a closed loop, recovering approximately 97% of the water after filtering residues (water loss is due to evaporation). Annual water consumption is approximately 270 m³.

Mondragon Assembly provides a complete solution: process engineering, plant integration, commissioning, optimization, and support, as well as sales, warranty, and maintenance of the full line.