MESA, Arizona (March 18, 2024) – Silfab Solar, North America’s leading PV solar manufacturer, today announced an agreement with SOLARCYCLE® to purchase ultra-low carbon domestic glass for its USA-made solar panels. The framework agreement expands Silfab’s existing solar panel recycling partnership with SOLARCYCLE and further advances Silfab’s ongoing sustainability objectives, the company stated.
SOLARCYCLE recently announced plans to build a first-of-its-kind factory in Georgia to use recycled materials from retired solar panels to make new solar glass. The planned SOLARCYCLE glass facility is about 300 miles from Silfab Solar’s newest factory in South Carolina that will soon add 1 gigawatt America-made cell production and another 1.3 gigawatts of module production.
“SOLARCYCLE is an ideal partner because of its demonstrated success and innovative processes that already have made Silfab a more sustainable operation. Utilizing American-produced glass in our PV modules further meets the county’s demands for USA content in made-in-America clean energy products and creates additional U.S. jobs,” said Paolo Maccario, Silfab President and CEO.
By purchasing SOLARCYCLE’s domestically made ultra-low carbon glass, the companies are reducing the climate impacts created during manufacturing by over 30% and from shipping by more than 50%.
“We are pleased to announce Silfab as anchor customer for our ultra-low carbon domestic glass made in America from recycled solar panels,” said Suvi Sharma, SOLARCYCLE co-founder and CEO. “This marks a significant step in securing an integrated and reliable supply chain for solar made in America. We are grateful to Silfab for modeling leadership within the industry with their deep commitment to advancing sustainability and emissions reductions in the clean energy sector.”
Among its many sustainability initiatives, Silfab sends older or under-performing modules to SOLARCYCLE for recycling. Silfab panels undergo rigorous quality assurance testing at production facilities, which enables Silfab to provide an industry-leading 25-year workmanship warranty for its panels. In addition to recycling its panels with SOLARCYCLE, Silfab also recycles materials left over from the production process.
“Delivering clean energy in North America means producing the highest-performing and most durable solar modules under the strongest environmental and social responsibility standards,” said Ted Ferguson, Silfab’s Director of Sustainability. “Sustainability has been embedded in Silfab’s values and operations since the company’s inception more than 40 years ago.”
Today’s agreement is an example of Silfab’s ongoing strategic initiatives to strengthen its U.S. supply chain for critical solar panel components and expand North American module production.
Silfab is ranked by SolarReviews as a top choice in recognition of Silfab’s product reliability, dedicated U.S. support, being an original North American manufacturer of PV modules and its decades of delivering high-quality, next-generation solar panels for residential and commercial uses, among other key factors.
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About SOLARCYCLE
SOLARCYCLE is a technology-driven platform designed to maximize solar sustainability by offering solar asset owners a low-cost, eco-friendly, comprehensive process for recycling retiring solar panels and technologies and repurposing them for new uses. The company’s proprietary technology allows it to extract up to 95% of the value of a solar panel’s materials, such as silver, silicon, copper and aluminum, and to recycle or repurpose panels for new uses. Experts in solar technology, recycling and sustainability founded SOLARCYCLE in 2022 to accelerate the circular economy for solar and renewables. www.SOLARCYCLE.us.
About Silfab Solar
Silfab Solar is the North American leader in the design, development and manufacture of high-efficiency, premium quality PV modules. Silfab leverages more than 40 years of solar experience and best-in-class technologies to produce the highest- rated solar modules. Silfab operates state-of-the-art facilities in the state of Washington and Toronto, Canada and will soon be manufacturing solar cells and PV modules in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Each facility features multiple automated production lines, an ISO 9001:2015-accredited Quality Management System, and just-in-time manufacturing to deliver Buy American approved PV modules specifically designed for and dedicated to the North American market. www.silfabsolar.com
Media Contact: Geoff Atkins, Email: g.atkins@silfabsolar.com , Tel: +1-905-255-2501 Ext. 737
