Funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe program, SOPHIA aims to increase current rates of reuse, repair and recycling of solar panels, involving the entire value chain and proposing innovative solutions ranging from ecodesign to digital traceability.
One of the key aspects of the project will be the development of a prototype to quickly assess the State-of-Health (SoH) of the panels, analyzing their efficiency, the presence of dark areas, and structural damage. Solar panels with more than 80% remaining efficiency will be repaired using robot-assisted equipment and high-performance dielectric varnishes.
Furthermore, those panels that cannot be repaired will be recycled using innovative technologies that maximize the separation of their main components (glass, silicon, metals, and plastics). In the case of the glass fraction, an online antimony quantification system will be implemented to maximize its recovery and valorization. “The energy transition cannot be sustainable if the management of its waste is not also sustainable. With this project, we want to demonstrate that it is possible to extend the lifespan of solar panels, make the most of their components, and reduce the environmental footprint of the photovoltaic sector,” stated Sandra Ramos, a researcher in Circular Economy and Environment at AIMPLAS.
In this context, it is worth noting that SOPHIA is developing a new, eco-designed solar panel that is easy to disassemble, thanks to the use of custom adhesives that deactivate on demand. This approach will facilitate future repairs or recycling, aligning with the principles of the circular economy.
To ensure complete traceability of panels throughout their life cycle, a digital platform will be implemented that implements the Digital Product Passport (DPP), both for new and repaired panels, and tools will be developed to track those that do not have this identifier.
The use of DPP will allow for the precise identification of the components and materials of each panel, optimizing its management at the end of its useful life, improving the quality of secondary raw materials, and reducing waste generation. Both the repaired panels and the recovered fractions will be introduced into a specific market, backed by the DPP system as a guarantee of quality and traceability.
In this regard, Ramos emphasized that “the inclusion of the Digital Product Passport in solar panels is a major step towards smart waste management. SOPHIA allows us to anticipate regulations and give real value to secondary materials.”
The project, which began in June 2025, will run for 36 months and is coordinated by AIMPLAS (Spain), along with 14 other partners from across Europe: CIDETEC (Spain), Fraunhofer (Germany), WILOCK (Spain), LHV (Spain), SADAKO (Spain), BIOSOLAR (Netherlands), AKUMPT (Belgium), SISECAM (Trinidad), FERROG (Spain), IS (Latvia), Recyclia (Spain), EuRIC (Belgium), CEPS (Belgium), and ENCO (Italy). The SOPHIA project partners met in Valencia, Spain, to launch this Horizon Europe project.
Finally, Sandra Ramos concluded by emphasizing that "through the development of innovative solutions to promote the circularity of photovoltaic panels, SOPHIA will contribute to fostering a more circular, innovative and competitive Europe."
