In 2025, solar overtakes coal for the first time. But the “skyrocketing growth” in installations demands an immediate industrial solution for end-of-life management.
Every year, the prestigious journal Science awards the “Breakthrough of the Year” to the scientific achievement that breaks the most boundaries. For 2025, the choice was revolutionary: not a lab discovery, but the global triumph of a technology born 70 years ago—solar energy.
According to astrophysicist Patrizia Caraveo, data are clear: 2025 marks the year photovoltaic (PV) energy surpassed coal in global electricity production. This “skyrocketing growth” has slashed costs, making the sun the most cost-effective energy source on the planet.
However, at Stokkermill Recycling Machinery, we look at these charts with the foresight of over 30 years in industrial recycling. While Science celebrates installation milestones, we focus on managing the “afterlife” of solar assets.
Caraveo’s article highlights that this unstoppable rise concerns not only solar panels but also lithium-ion batteries and wind turbines, essential for storing intermittent energy.
The world is filling up with devices that, in 20–25 years—or sooner in cases of early repowering—will become waste. For Stokkermill, however, these are not waste—they are strategic resource mines.
While some political leaders still nostalgically look to coal, the global market has already decided: the future is renewable, and this future cannot afford to lose critical raw materials.
The “skyrocketing growth” cited by Science cannot be handled with artisanal solutions. Industrial-scale plants capable of processing tons, not kilograms, are essential.
As manufacturing (mainly in Asia) saturates the market, the Western recycling industry must close the loop with cutting-edge technologies.
Our Solar series (200–500) is designed precisely for these high-volume scenarios:
Industrial Capacity: From 1.5 tons/hour for the Solar 200 to over 4 tons/hour for the Solar 500.
Total Material Recovery: Using our XRS delaminating mills and dense separation systems, we recover 99.8% of materials, including glass, silicon, copper, silver, and aluminum.
Technological Pragmatism: Unlike outdated methods, our plants process panels without pre-removing the aluminum frame, dramatically reducing processing time and operational costs.
Science’s recognition confirms the fossil fuel era is ending. But the green transition is only complete if it’s circular.
With Stokkermill technologies for recycling solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, and wind turbine blades, we transform the “challenge of the century” into the business opportunity of the millennium.
