Government Prepares Guidelines for Recycling Solar Modules, Wind Blades and Battery Waste

The government is working on a separate framework for recycling waste from solar panels, wind turbine blades and battery storage systems, as per MoneyControl news report.  

The proposed rules will deal with the disposal and recovery of materials from renewable energy equipment, including critical minerals that India does not have in adequate quantities. 

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi spoke about the work at a press briefing following the Bharat Renewable Energy (BRE) Summit and Expo 2026 on Thursday.  

Solar Panel Waste 

MNRE Secretary Santosh Sarangi said consultations with stakeholders on solar module waste management had been completed. The ministry is now drafting guidelines that will require manufacturers to make modules with a higher degree of recyclability. 

The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, require manufacturers and producers to store waste from solar photovoltaic modules, panels and cells generated up to 2034-35. The storage must follow guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board.  

Estimates indicate that solar waste will increase as more capacity is installed. A study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), supported by the MNRE, put cumulative solar waste at around 600 kilotonnes by 2030.  

Another CEEW study, published in November 2025, estimated that the total could reach 11,221 kilotonnes by 2047. 

Wind Turbine Blades and Battery Waste 

Sarangi said most wind turbine components could be recycled, but the epoxy resin used in blades had been difficult to process. 

At the BRE Summit, Suzlon and Aditya Birla Group signed an agreement to recycle the epoxy and use it to manufacture new blades. The MNRE will prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) to extend the requirement to other wind turbine manufacturers. 

The Ministry of Heavy Industries is separately preparing an SOP for battery energy storage systems. It will cover the recycling of lithium and other materials used in batteries. 

Read More: Government Considers Asset Monetisation Proposals Worth Over ₹1,100 Crore! 

Conclusion 

The ministry is preparing guidelines for solar module recycling and wind turbine blades, while battery recycling procedures are being handled by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. 

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