Silver Paste Residuals in Solar Panels Become "Soft Gold" Amid Rising Silver Prices

Published: Apr 12, 2025 20:52

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According to SMM, the residual silver paste in solar panels has become a "soft gold" that photovoltaic plants, electronics factories, and recyclers are scrambling for against the backdrop of a significant rise in silver prices in 2025. Based on the silver consumption of 7.8 mg/W for Topcon solar cells, SMM estimates that the silver content in solar cells accounts for approximately 0.3%, which is close to 3 kg/mt. There are two methods for processing such recycled materials: one is pyrometallurgical high-temperature smelting, with a product purity of 99.9%, but the cost is 0.8 yuan per gram higher, suitable for large factories. The other is the wet method (nitric acid dissolution), with a product purity of 85%, low cost but high pollution, and can be extracted via a beaker, with a pungent smell of nitric acid lingering in the laboratory. The covert battle for silver paste recycling in photovoltaic industrial parks has already quietly begun. Despite multiple surprise inspections by the environmental protection bureau, the temptation of high profits still makes it difficult for the small workshop model of low-cost, high-pollution wet processing to completely disappear.

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