State of the art of end-of-life silicon-based solar panels recycling with a bibliometric perspective

The rapid proliferation of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations is contributing significantly to renewable energy production, addressing critical concerns over fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions. However, as these installations age, the generated waste stream presents a substantial environmental challenge. In response, research on recycling end-of-life PV modules has recently emerged as a significant area of global interest. Nevertheless, only a limited number of studies have reviewed the current trends in solar panel recycling, and the application of bibliometric tools to these studies remains scarce. This literature review aims to document and synthesize research trends in the field of end-of-life silicon-based PV module recycling over the last decade, using bibliographic coupling analysis. It introduces an advanced bibliometric approach that integrates co-word and network analyses to identify the key topics and emerging trends in this domain. Citation analysis was also used to identify key institutions and studies that have shaped the evolution of this research field. Finally, new avenues for future research are also suggested. The results suggest that this research topic is a relatively recent development, with the vast majority of scientific publications emerging in the past three years (280 % rise from 2020 to 2023). China is the leading contributor, with 90 % of the total publications from 2020 to 2024. Research on PV panel recycling has concentrated on three main pathways, i.e., mechanical pretreatment, delamination, and purification, with the latter being at the centre of recent research. The findings also indicate a notable absence of standardized recycling processes and policies.