Thailand’s SCI Eco Services Launches Study on Solar Panel Recycling

Bangkok, Thailand – Growing concern over the accumulation of discarded solar panels has prompted SCI Eco Services, the industrial waste management arm of Siam Cement Group (SCG), to initiate a feasibility study into recycling end-of-life solar panels.

According to Chalong Limsuntrakul, Deputy Director for Waste Circularity at SCI Eco Services, many solar panels installed 6–7 years ago by power plant operators have seen their efficiency drop by half, leading companies to upgrade to newer, more efficient models. However, the disposal of old panels has become a pressing issue, with some sites in Thailand beginning to resemble “solar panel graveyards.”

“Operators often store old panels on-site or sell them, but eventually these panels deteriorate into hazardous waste,” Chalong said. “We want to prevent Thailand from facing the same waste crisis already seen in other countries.”

SCI Eco Services is now exploring technologies to recycle materials such as glass, aluminum, copper, and polymers found in solar panels. The company aims to develop a zero-waste recycling process, though Chalong noted that costs and material blending challenges must be addressed.

If viable, the recycling facility is expected to be established in Saraburi, where SCG’s main cement production operations are based.

In a parallel initiative, SCG is investing 2 billion baht to expand refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production in multiple provinces. The move supports SCG’s goal to replace 70% of coal use in cement production with alternative fuels like RDF and biomass by 2030.