The first plant in Tuscany that recycles photovoltaic panels

30 March 2026

Built with an investment of €4.5 million, the Rapolano Terme plant is authorized to process 9,000 tons of end-of-life photovoltaic panels per year, recovering 95% of the aluminum, glass, silicon, and copper.

Giving new life to the materials contained in end-of-life photovoltaic panels. This is the goal behind the Semia Green recycling plant, an Iren Group company owned by Sienambiente, inaugurated in the industrial area of Rapolano Terme, in the province of Siena.

Built with an investment of €4.5 million and equipped with cutting-edge technologies, the plant is the first in Tuscany dedicated to the treatment of end-of-life photovoltaic panels. The facility is authorized to recover up to 9,000 tons of solar modules per year, which would otherwise be destined for landfill. Thanks to advanced mechanical processes, the plant separates and recycles aluminum, glass, silicon, and copper, reintroducing these materials into the production cycle for the creation of new consumer goods.

With these characteristics, the Rapolano Terme plant is among the most advanced in Italy and represents a key element in the development of the circular economy linked to renewable energy in Tuscany.

The plant stands out for its high recovery rate: 95% of photovoltaic module components are reintroduced into the production cycle. The process involves dismantling the aluminum frame, de-icing, and subsequent separation of silicon, copper, and plastic materials through exclusively mechanical treatments.

The photovoltaic recycling sector, with over 2.1 million tons of end-of-life photovoltaic panels in Italy by 2050, is identified by several observers as one of the sectors expected to grow the most in the coming years, both in terms of the quantity of material processed and its industrial impact.

The panel modules are processed mechanically and involve disassembling the aluminum frame, de-coring, and separating the silicon, copper, and plastic materials. Following the completion of the first processing section in 2025, the second line will begin operations in 2026. Once fully operational, the plant will employ 15 people, including manual workers, managers, and office staff.

The initiative also strengthens the Iren Group's role in Tuscan plant development for closing the waste cycle, seamlessly integrating Semia Green's operations into the regional circular economy supply chain.