India, May 19 -- In Rajasthan's Thar desert, where India began building solar farms at scale, many of the panels installed in the early 2010s are nearing the end of their 25-30-year lifespan. Across India's 130 GW solar fleet, a clock is ticking quietly but rapidly. What happens when these panels reach the end of their life is a question India's energy transition can no longer afford to ignore. India's solar capacity has grown from roughly 4 GW of installed capacity in 2015 to over 130 GW today, with targets of 500 GW by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070. However, this clean energy transition also demands a credible strategy for managing solar waste.

The health risks of solar waste

A solar panel is far more complex than a sheet of gla...