Solar energy has, and continues to see rapid adoption, becoming a major contributor to renewable energy provisions. This is crucial given that the world’s electricity consumption continues to grow and is set to rise 4% annually through to 2027, making the addition of new renewable energy a major priority.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology can be applied in a range of settings - on both commercial and residential roofs, on a larger scale across open land to form ‘solar farms’, and even on car parks. The result is that in 2024 renewables & nuclear grew to account for a record 39% of global energy generation[i] with installed solar PV capacity worldwide reaching an estimated 2.2 terawatts (TW) – up by 30% year-on-year. Latest data from the IEA found that solar was responsible for more than 7% of the world's generated electricity in 2024 alone.
There are concerns relating to solar and land use, particularly with the rise in solar farms which generally range from 6 to 10 Acres in size. According to Carbon Tracker, the land that would be required for solar panels to provide all global energy is 450,000 km2, or 0.3% of global land (149 million km2), which they say is less than the current land footprint of fossil fuel infrastructure[ii]. This of course varies greatly on a country-by-country basis, many Western European nations for example would require more than 5% of their land to meet energy requirements.
Given numerous solar installations have been placed in rural locations, on arable land, questions have understandably been raised over food security and the environmental impact.
As a result, we ask “what happens at the end of a solar farm's life?”
Solar panels are typically given a lifespan of between 25-30 years, and as a rule of thumb degrade by around 0.5% annually, meaning that once they reach 25 years old, they will be operating at around 87.5% of their original capacity[iii]. Ultimately solar farm projects are often designed to be a temporary activity and operational for the 25–30-year lifecycle of the panels.
In the UK many solar farms operate on land which has been leased from farmers or other landowners, these deals are typically in place for 30-40 years, incorporating the building, operation, and closure timescales required. This means that at the end of the project decommissioning must also be accurately planned and prepared for. As Fast Company noted in their 2024 article on the subject, in many places developers must submit a plan for removal of the projects and take steps to guarantee that local communities will have minimal, if any, costs. For instance, this could include an insurance contract or financial arrangement that will pay out the cost of decommissioning if the developer or its successor doesn’t meet its obligations.
The five key steps in decommissioning a solar farm are as follows:
1. Planning and Permitting: As mentioned prior, many regions will require this to have already been done during the initial project application. If this hasn’t been completed then necessary permits and will need to be required, and local and national regulations must be adhered to.
2. Site Assessment: Evaluation of the site must be conducted to ascertain its condition, including an assessment of the solar panels, inverters, mounting structures, and other components.
3. Dismantling and Removal: This involves the careful dismantling of all solar farm components. Panels are removed from their mounts, electrical systems are disconnected, and structural elements are removed.
4. Recycling and Disposal: A critical part of the process- panels must be removed and disposed of responsibly given they contain valuable materials such as silicon, glass, and metals that can be reclaimed and recycled.
5. Land Restoration: Once the infrastructure is removed, the site is restored - or as close as possible - to its original state. To do so may require replanting of vegetation or crop, soil remediation, and/ or methods to improve and restore biodiversity.
Responsible disposal of old panels is critical, and whilst they can be recycled, unfortunately at present the process is expensive and can be complicated. The best practice currently is to mechanically break down a solar panel into its parts, to extract materials such as silver, copper, and aluminium, as well as glass, plastics, and silicon. However, solar panels are built to withstand decades of changing temperatures and inclement weather, as such they are robust, and it is difficult to break apart the adhesives and sealants used to keep them together.
It means separating the glass from the cell can be difficult, and if not separated fully from the silicon (which has a melting point twice that of glass) impurities can enter. This means that the glass will need to be downcycled and used in places where its impurities don’t matter, such as in construction.
Additionally, solar recycling has yet to reach a financial break-even point, where at present it costs more to recycle panels than the value of the recovered materials. The result is that smaller scale projects (like home solar) are more likely to end up in landfill, however large-scale solar farms are much more likely to be recycled due to the planning and regulation in place when the projects are approved.
[i] Electricity – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis - IEA
[ii] The Sky's the Limit: Solar and wind energy potential - Carbon Tracker Initiative
[iii] Solar Panel Lifespan: How Long Will a Solar Project Last
Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”
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