As solar energy expands in Minnesota and around the world, the need for responsible management of solar photovoltaic modules and installation components at the end of their life cycle is growing. In 2023, this growing need led the Minnesota State Legislature to direct the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to commission this study aimed at developing recommendations for a comprehensive statewide system for end-of-life (EOL) solar installations.
Eunomia, with support from the Product Stewardship Institute, was contracted by the MPCA to conduct a comprehensive study that supported the development of policy recommendations put forward by a Policy Working Group (PWG) to meet the criteria and analyses outlined in the recent legislation.
The Eunomia project team began by expanding on existing MPCA work to narrow down policy options and determine which scenarios to model. Following this, they conducted a literature review, interviews with stakeholders along the solar PV panel value chain and internal workshops.
The policy solutions derived from the research included:
- Extending decommissioning plan requirements for utility and commercial PV facilities under 50MW
- A product stewardship program
- A ratepayer funded program
- A permittee funded program
- Landfill bans
- Targets for collection, reuse, and recycling
Eunomia conducted a thorough evaluation of each policy against a set of criteria developed to align with MPCA’s policy goals and incorporated the project team’s expertise on best practices for managing EOL products.
The research highlights the benefits of implementing these policies, including environmental gains, economic opportunities, and supply chain and community benefits.
The findings of this research were used by the MPCA to submit policy recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature, including a statewide disposal ban and new recycling requirements.
