Silicon solar modules are only 10–15 wt% circular with today's recycling technologies. A 90 wt% circularity requires that all the inorganic materials in silicon modules be recovered for reuse in solar or similar applications. Major technical barriers to a 90 wt% circularity for silicon modules include: 1) removal of the fluoropolymer back sheet; 2) detachment of silicon cells from glass; 3) removal of the encapsulant on silicon cells; and 4) mild chemistry and minimization of chemical waste along with high material recovery rates. Noticeable progress in recycling technologies in the last few years includes: 1) mechanical milling to remove the fluoropolymer back sheet; 2) laser debonding of the encapsulant from silicon cells; 3) dissolution of the encapsulant with a base; 4) mild chemistry for silver and lead recovery; and 5) regenerative chemistry to reuse some of the chemicals in silicon cell recycling.

采用当今的回收技术，硅太阳能组件的循环利用率仅为 10–15%。90 wt% 的循环度要求回收硅模块中的所有无机材料，以便在太阳能或类似应用中重复使用。硅组件实现 90 wt% 圆形度的主要技术障碍包括：1）去除含氟聚合物背板；2）硅电池与玻璃的分离；3)去除硅电池上的封装材料；4) 温和的化学反应，最大限度地减少化学废物以及高材料回收率。过去几年回收技术的显着进展包括：1）机械研磨去除含氟聚合物背板；2) 硅电池封装材料的激光脱粘；3)用碱溶解封装剂；4)用于银和铅回收的温和化学；5）再生化学，以重复利用硅电池回收中的一些化学品。