Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical to slash solar panel recycling costs 20%

TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Chemical Group has developed technology that recycles glass and metals from solar panels, reducing costs by 20% to 30%, Nikkei has learned, in what could become a link in Japan's sustainable renewable energy efforts.

Wholly owned recycling subsidiary Shinryo developed the technology, which turns sealant used to bond solar panels' components into gas at high temperatures. This allows materials such as glass, silver, copper and aluminum to be more easily recovered.