On October 23, 2025, the Committee on Digitalization and Intellectual Property Protection of the Solar Energy Association of Ukraine (SEAU) held an open meeting on the topic: “RETRIEVE: The Second Life of Solar Panels – European Experience for the Ukrainian Solar Market.”
The session’s keynote speaker, Ihor Shevchenko, Head of the SEAU Committee, presented one of the most relevant areas in the development of renewable energy – the recycling and reuse of solar panels.
“A new culture of handling energy equipment is emerging globally. Europe is shifting from a linear consumption model to a circular economy, where no material is wasted but instead returns to the production cycle. Ukraine has every reason to become part of this process”, emphasized Mr. Shevchenko.
During the meeting, participants were introduced to the European scientific and innovation project RETRIEVE (Reintegration of Photovoltaic Panel Waste Back into Manufacturing as High-Value Products), implemented under the Horizon Europe framework.
In 2025, SEAU officially joined the RETRIEVE consortium as a full partner, allowing Ukraine to take an active role in developing and implementing innovative solar panel recycling technologies and establishing a closed-loop reuse system for materials.
“The goal of RETRIEVE is to achieve 95-100% recovery of materials used in photovoltaic modules,” explained Mr. Shevchenko. “It’s not only about environmental benefits but also about economic value. Glass, silicon, silver, and polymers recovered from decommissioned panels can be reused in the production of new ones. This represents a new market and new opportunities for Ukrainian companies”.
The RETRIEVE consortium brings together 21 partners from 10 countries, including research institutions, technology companies, industrial manufacturers, and industry associations. Representing Ukraine alongside SEAU is SEAU’s educational partner – the King Danylo University (Ivano-Frankivsk).
Mr. Shevchenko also highlighted the project’s technological foundation. RETRIEVE employs the Hotblade process – a hot-blade method that gently separates panel layers without damaging the materials. This technology enables the recovery of high-quality clean glass and minimizes silicon losses during recycling.
A special focus was placed on the digital component of the project – the creation of a Digital Product Passport (DPP), which records information about the composition, origin, recycling process, and carbon footprint of each solar panel.
“The Digital Product Passport will become mandatory for solar panel manufacturers in the European Union starting in 2027,” noted Mr. Shevchenko. “This is not just a technical innovation – it’s a step toward full market transparency and digital traceability throughout the entire lifecycle of a panel, from production to recycling”.
The expert also discussed the EU regulatory framework governing the recycling of energy equipment, in particular Directive 2012/19/EU, which establishes the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle. Under this directive, producers are obliged to ensure the collection and recycling of panels at the end of their lifecycle or to finance this process through authorized organizations.
As part of its participation in RETRIEVE, SEAU is preparing analytical materials on the Ukrainian solar market, identifying regulatory barriers to implementing reuse technologies, and developing recommendations for aligning Ukrainian legislation with the EU’s circular economy requirements.
“The Ukrainian solar market is growing, and we must already consider what will happen to these capacities in 20–25 years, when the first large plants reach the end of their life cycle. Our goal is to ensure that these materials do not become waste but return to production”, highlighted Mr. Shevchenko.
This meeting marked the first in SEAU’s series of events dedicated to Ukraine’s participation in the RETRIEVE project. In 2026, the Association plans to hold a series of webinars and seminars focusing on recycling technologies, the Digital Product Passport, and practical steps for integrating circular economy principles into the Ukrainian solar energy sector.
“We see enormous potential for synergy between Ukrainian businesses, research institutions, and European organizations. RETRIEVE is not only about technology – it’s about a new philosophy of responsible solar energy development”, concluded Ihor Shevchenko.