Southern Power pilots innovative solar panel recycling program

In the Spring of 2025, Southern Power took another step forward in its sustainability efforts by partnering with SOLARCYCLE, a company that specializes in recycling solar panels and repurposing their component parts for new use.

As solar generation continues to grow, so does the need to responsibly manage equipment at the end of its lifecycle. While solar panels are built for durability, they can occasionally experience damage from extreme weather events. Hailstorms, for example, are a common cause of damage. In addition to this physical damage, prolonged exposure to sunlight, weather and temperature fluctuations can also degrade solar panel performance over time. According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, panels can lose up to 0.8% efficiency each year on average.

 

SOLARCYCLE provides a solution designed to recover these materials and make them available for reuse. The company’s process ensures that the solar panel is recycled and the materials are returned to the supply chain, supporting a circular economy.

Decommissioned panels are collected, inspected and then dismantled to remove aluminum frames and junction boxes. The glass is cleanly separated, while remaining metals are crushed, separated and refined.

The process recovers valuable materials such as glass, aluminum, copper, silver and silicon so they may be returned to the solar supply chain and reintegrated into domestic manufacturing, including recycled solar glass production.

“Southern Company is known for its industry-leading commitment to research, innovation and sustainability,” said Keith Harrison, General Manager, Environmental Affairs for Southern Power and PowerSecure. “Our relationship with SOLARCYCLE fits squarely within that commitment. Through this partnership, we are not only able to provide a more cost-effective way to manage our materials at end-of-life, but we’re doing so in a manner that conserves resources and aligns with our environmental principles.”

At its recycling operations near Cedartown, Georgia, SOLARCYCLE plans to build a solar glass manufacturing plant next door, creating an integrated campus designed to recover and remanufacture high-value materials from end-of-life solar panels. 

As of April 2026, Southern Power has engaged SOLARCYCLE for the recycling of more than 800 modules at three of its solar facilities, with plans to recycle an additional 2,000 to 3,000 damaged modules by year’s end.

 “Solar panels contain valuable materials that are necessary for building the next generation of energy. What we strive to do is support a circular economy for these materials and components and return them to our supply chains,” said Suvi Sharma, co-founder and CEO of SOLARCYCLE. “When companies like Southern Power recycle solar systems, this can support more sustainable operations with reduced environmental impact. We hope other power providers will follow Southern Power’s lead and do the same.”