Retired solar panels become building facades in Tianjin base

Thousands of retired solar panels have been transformed into colorful building facades and fences at a demonstration base in Tianjin, showcasing a new approach to tackling the growing challenge of photovoltaic waste.

The project uses colorful microlayer technology, developed by Colorfulead Power (Beijing) Technology, to repurpose decommissioned photovoltaic modules as architectural materials while preserving most of their power generation capacity.

According to Zhou Yongqiang, general manager of the company, the technology makes retired PV components usable throughout their lifecycle. The treated panels retain more than 80 percent light transmittance and most of their electricity-generating capability, while avoiding localized overheating. The technology allows the panels to double as decorative building materials and power-generating assets in urban renewal and infrastructure projects.

The company said the first generation of domestically developed production equipment has completed testing and is expected to enter full operation in the second half of this year, ending the reliance on customized imported machinery.

China is expected to face a sharp rise in retired photovoltaic modules as early solar installations approach the end of their economic lifespan. Industry forecasts predict decommissioning volumes will peak around 2030.

The Tianjin base, a collaboration between China Resources Recycling Group and the Tianjin municipal government, is designed as a model zero-carbon industrial park and circular economy project, offering a potential solution for the sustainable reuse of photovoltaic waste.