Solar Panel Recycling

*Please note the ISC Website will be available on July 23, 2024 at 10:30 EDT

This Challenge Notice is issued under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program (ISC) Call for Proposals 004 (EN578-24ISC4). For general ISC information, Bidders can visit the ISC website: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/101.nsf/eng/home
Please refer to the Solicitation Documents (https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-3…) which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

Steps to apply:
Step 1: read this challenge
Step 2: read the Call for Proposals : https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-3…
Step 3: propose your solution here : https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/solar-p…

Challenge title: Solar panel recycling
Challenge sponsor: Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

Funding mechanism: Contract

MAXIMUM CONTRACT VALUE:
Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

Phase 1:
•The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is : $150,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
•The maximum duration for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is up to 6 months (excluding submission of the final report).
•Estimated number of Phase 1 contracts: 1

Phase 2:
•The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is : $1,000,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
•The maximum duration for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is up to 24 months (excluding submission of the final report).
•Estimated number of Phase 2 contracts: 1

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award any contract for the total approximate funding. Final decisions on the number of Phase 1 and Phase 2 awards will be made by Canada on the basis of factors such as evaluation results, departmental priorities and availability of funds. Canada reserves the right to make partial awards and to negotiate project scope changes.

Note: Selected companies are eligible to receive one contract per phase per challenge.

Travel
For Phase 1 applications:
No travel is anticipated in Phase 1. Project meetings will be conducted via video conferencing.
For Phase 2 applications:
No travel is anticipated in Phase 2. Project meetings will be conducted via video conferencing.

Kick-off meeting:
All communication will take place by telephone or video conference.
Progress review meeting(s):
Any progress review meetings will be conducted by telephone or video conference.
Final review meeting:
All communication will take place by telephone or video conference.

Problem Statement:

Challenge Statement Summary
Solar panels have valuable materials, including critical materials such as aluminum, tellurium, and antimony as well as gallium and indium in some thin-film modules, which are currently not being recycled once the panels reach their end of life. The difficulty with recycling solar panels is not that the composition of materials is hard to recycle; rather, solar panels are constructed in such a manner that the many parts comprising the panel are difficult to separate and recycle individually. Separating those materials and uniquely recycling them is a complex and expensive process as opposed to the cheap method of discarding the entire panel into a landfill. These individual materials are often a part of the devices that Canadians use every day such as smartphones and computers. As such, recycling these materials should provide significant economic, environmental, and social benefits. This challenge will be seeking recycling solutions for solar panels at any time during their entire lifecycle (i.e., from input, production, use, and final recovery/recycle).

Details:

Essential (mandatory) outcomes
The proposed solution must:
1.Be able to recycle crystalline-silicon and thin-film solar panels (e.g., monocrystalline panels, polycrystalline panels, passivated emitter and rear cell panels, cadmium telluride panels, etc.) and recover critical materials;
2.Be functional, scalable, and cost-effective;
3.Be able to recycle solar panels at any time during their entire lifecycle (i.e., from input, production, use, and final recovery/recycle);
4.Ensure that all materials removed from a solar panel during the recycling process are free from contaminants such as biological, heavy metal, radiation, and others that could impact the environment (air, land and water);
5.Enable the conversion of solar panel materials into valuable and/or non-harmful materials;
6.Ensure that Toxic Substances (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/management…) (i.e., lead, cadmium, etc.) are effectively managed and are not released into the environment or do not result in human health exposure;
7.Be energy efficient;
8.Propose an end-of-life management path (reduce - reuse - recycle of solar panel waste).

Additional outcomes
The proposed solution should:
1.Demonstrate improved value-recovery for metals and heavy metals;
2.Enable the recycling and/or processing of recovered rare earth elements;
3.Meet or exceed the requirements for the Greening Government Strategy, which looks to reduce the environmental impact of waste associated with products used by the Government of Canada (GC).

Background & Context
Renewable resources in Canada have an increasingly prominent place in the market and are seen as responsible alternatives for the future aiming to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. As the photovoltaic (PV) market grows, both for public and private use, the volume of end-of-life solar panels will also grow, which will result in significant pollution risks. In fact, the Government of Canada (GC) already utilizes solar panels in seven different locations across the country and in more than five missions around the world. The use of solar panels by the GC is projected to keep increasing, both domestically and abroad. The overall environmental impact of solar panels is much higher if they are dumped in landfills, where hazardous chemicals and heavy metals can leach into groundwater. Solar panel recycling will capture the value of raw materials in addition to saving space in landfills. Recycling solar panels will also reduce the need for critical mineral mining, an activity that has extensive negative environmental and social impacts.