Blog · Published 2026-05-12

Year 25 solar panel disposal: what UK commercial operators need to know

By 2030, the first wave of UK commercial solar installations from the 2005-2015 boom will reach 25-year end-of-life. The UK recycling infrastructure is largely ready under the WEEE Directive — but commercial operators need to understand decommissioning costs, recycling routes, and the increasing strategic value of solar repowering vs disposal.

Solar panels are WEEE-classified waste

Under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 (updated 2020), photovoltaic panels are classified as Category 4 (consumer equipment) for residential and Category 5 (lighting equipment) for commercial. WEEE classification means:

- Producer responsibility: Original manufacturers/importers fund collection and treatment - Authorised treatment facilities (ATF): Specialist facilities recover materials - Tracking obligations: Disposal must be documented through approved Compliance Schemes - Recycling targets: 80% material recovery by weight (rising to 85% by 2030)

For UK commercial operators, this means:

- Don't send panels to landfill (illegal) - Use a WEEE-licensed contractor for removal and disposal - Get a Waste Transfer Note (WTN) for each consignment - Producer (panel manufacturer) typically funds the recycling — your cost is removal labour only - Average cost for commercial panel removal: £2-£8 per panel; WEEE recycling free of charge to operator

Material recovery from solar panels

Modern solar panel recycling recovers:

- Glass (75% by weight): Re-melted into new glass products - Aluminium frame (10% by weight): 100% recovered, re-rolled into new products - Copper bus bars and cabling (1-2%): Recovered as scrap copper - Silver (0.1%): Trace amounts in cell contacts — economically recoverable - Silicon cells (3-5%): Re-melted for new cell production or specialty products - EVA (encapsulant, 6%): Recovered as plastic or combusted for energy - Backsheet (3%): Mostly polymer; recovered or combusted

Total recovery rate: 80-90% by weight. The remaining 10-20% (mostly thin polymer films and adhesives) typically goes to energy-from-waste.

For commercial operators, this means decommissioning your end-of-life system isn't sending material to landfill — it's actively contributing to a circular economy. The carbon footprint of recycled glass/aluminium/silicon is 30-50% lower than virgin material.

Decommissioning cost

Typical UK commercial solar decommissioning costs in 2026:

- Roof access and scaffolding: £15-£40/m² - Panel removal labour: £2-£8/panel - WEEE recycling: Free (producer-funded) - Cable and mounting removal: £10-£25/m of cable; £15-£35/m² of mounting - Inverter and electrical disconnection: £500-£2,000 per inverter - DNO disconnection notification: Free; required for safety - Site reinstatement (where required): Variable

For a 100kWp commercial system (~220 panels, 560m² roof):

- Scaffolding: £15,000 - Panel removal: £550 - Cable and mounting removal: £8,000 - Inverter disconnection: £1,500 - Site cleanup: £1,500 - Total typical decommissioning cost: £26,000-£35,000

This assumes the system is being removed without replacement. If the operator is repowering with new panels, decommissioning happens as part of the new install — typically 30-40% cheaper because of shared scaffolding.

Repowering vs disposal economics

By year 22-25, UK commercial solar operators face a decision: dispose, or repower with new panels?

Repower economics:

- New panels: 30-40% more efficient than 2005-2010 panels (modern 450W vs 220W same area) - New inverters: similar efficiency, but 15-20% cheaper - Re-use mounting structure: yes if condition allows (typical 40-60% retention) - Re-use cabling and protection: typically yes - Total repowering capex: 40-60% of full new install cost - Generation uplift: 50-100% (better panel efficiency, modern inverters)

For a typical 100kWp 2010-installed system:

- Repower capex: £35,000-£50,000 - Generation post-repowering: 140-180 kWp (40-80% uplift) - New 25-year asset life - Continued grant eligibility (modern panels MCS-compliant) - Total benefit vs full disposal: typically £400,000-£600,000 cumulative over next 25 years

For most UK commercial operators, repowering at year 22-25 will be the economic answer — particularly as repowering can be combined with battery storage retrofit and other modern upgrades.

Sustainability disclosure of end-of-life

UK commercial operators with sustainability reporting obligations (TCFD, SBTi, SECR) should disclose end-of-life solar handling. The reporting elements:

- Decommissioning cost provision: Most accounting frameworks now require a provision for end-of-life decommissioning. £30-£50 per kWp typical. - Material recovery rate: Your WEEE compliance certificate documents this. - Embodied carbon of replacement: Lower than 2005-vintage equivalent. - Repowering scenario: Strong narrative for circular economy + carbon reduction.

For 25-year-old solar projects, the embodied carbon repayment was 1.5-2.5 years. Modern panels' embodied carbon repayment is under 1.5 years. Repowering creates a second decarbonisation cycle within the same physical infrastructure.

FAQs

FAQs on this topic

What happens to old solar panels?

Modern solar panels are WEEE-classified waste. They go to authorised treatment facilities for material recovery (80-90% by weight: glass, aluminium, silicon, copper, silver). Producer-funded, no cost to operator.

How much does decommissioning cost?

Typical UK commercial decommissioning: £200-£300 per kWp for full removal. Repowering is typically 30-40% cheaper because of shared scaffolding.

Should I dispose or repower?

For most UK commercial operators at year 22-25: repower. New panels are 30-40% more efficient at 40-60% of full new install cost. Total value far exceeds disposal.

Do I need to provision for decommissioning?

For sustainability reporting (TCFD, SBTi, SECR): yes. Typically £30-£50 per kWp provision. Some accounting frameworks now require this on balance sheet.