Processing PV modules mechanically.
Recyglass® Solar Recycling separates end-of-life PV modules mechanically into defined material fractions. Prall-Tec designs the plant around your input, site and capacity target – backed by more than 40 years in crushing and recycling technology.
You know glass. So do we.
Mechanical PV processing with traceable fractions and plant design tailored to your project. You bring the offtake, logistics and quality know-how – we bring the liberation of the composite material that is a solar module.
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A new input stream
End-of-life modules from dismantling, repowering and transport damage become a plannable raw material stream – with volumes rising sharply after 2030.
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Defined glass fractions
Glass in three grain sizes – coarse, medium and fine – prepared for your existing processing and sales channels.
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Additional valuable materials
Aluminium, non-ferrous metals and a silicon-silver concentrate are separated ready for sorting.
- Made in Germany Engineered and manufactured in Lengerich
- Recyglass® Proven laminated glass reprocessing
- Worldwide Machines in operation, service from a single source
Recycling end-of-life modules allows high-purity PV glass to be recovered as the main fraction for use in the glass industry.
Obst, A., Henatsch, P., Felsberg, S. (Fraunhofer CSP, 2026): Recycling von Photovoltaikmodulen in Deutschland. DERA Rohstoffinformationen 68, p. 12. Download the study as a PDF from DERA
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5.35 m t
of PV modules had been installed in Germany by 2023 – with a service life of 20 to 30 years.
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Only 2
plants in Germany currently recycle crystalline PV modules on an industrial scale.
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660,000 t
of aluminium and 3,900 t of silver are contained in the modules installed in Germany up to 2023.
All figures: DERA Rohstoffinformationen 68 (2026), summary, data as of December 2025.
No start-up.
Prall-Tec.
PV recycling is not an experiment for us. It is the logical next step in what we have been doing for more than 40 years: reducing material in size, liberating it and separating it cleanly.
As a family-run mechanical engineering company we plan, design and build every machine ourselves – at our plant in Lengerich, Germany. Our technology processes construction waste, glass, metals, slags and natural stone all over the world. That same process knowledge went into Recyglass® Solar Recycling.
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40+
Years of experience
Impact crushers, hammer mills, screening technology and complete recycling plants.
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100 %
In-house manufacturing
Planning, engineering and construction from a single source – short routes, full control.
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Recyglass®
Glass expertise
Proven technology for laminated glass reprocessing – the basis for Recyglass® Solar Recycling.
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Service
Spare parts & assembly
Wear parts, rotors and assembly service from our own production.
Four machines. One line.
Not a laboratory solution, but Prall-Tec machines proven in industrial continuous operation – from the shredder to metal processing, all designed and built in-house in Lengerich.
All module types. No dismantling.
No dismantling robots, no frame removal station, no manual work. The PTPVS shredder takes complete PV modules and pre-shreds them. That saves staff, time and space at goods-in – and makes the line independent of the condition of the modules delivered.
- Glass-foil modules
- Glass-glass modules
- Complete with cables and frame
- Damaged or partly dismantled
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01 Pre-shredding
PTPVS shredder
Whole modules including frames are fed in directly and pre-shredded under control.
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02 Screening
PTT trommel screen
Classifies the material and separates glass into three grain sizes from the film composite and metal content.
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03 Backing film cleaning
PTRF fine grinding mill
Cleans off the backing film – producing a silicon-silver concentrate for downstream recovery.
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04 Metal processing
PTV balling mill
Balls up aluminium, copper and other metals and separates them from adhering residues.
What comes out of the module?
Every end-of-life module yields defined, marketable fractions – from glass as the main stream to the silicon-silver concentrate. Which fractions matter for your site depends on the module type and on further processing.
Glass · main stream for glass recyclers
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Glass, coarse larger grain size
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Glass, medium medium grain size
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Glass, fine fine grain fraction
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Film mix film and residual fraction
Metals and concentrate
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Aluminium from frames and profiles
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Mixed non-ferrous metals before metal processing
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Non-ferrous metals, balled end product after the PTV
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Si/Ag concentrate after PTRF cleaning
Mass balance of a typical crystalline module (1,000 kg)
Rounded reference values from the literature. The actual composition depends on module type and year of manufacture.
- Glass ~700 kg
- Aluminium ~120 kg
- Films ~100 kg
- Silicon ~50 kg
- Copper ~15 kg
- Silver and others ~16 kg
We document the purity and recovery routes of the fractions for each project, backed by analysis.
Plant for mechanical PV processing
| Feed material | All common types: glass-foil and glass-glass, complete with cables and frame, damaged or partly dismantled – without dismantling |
|---|---|
| Process | Purely mechanical, multi-stage |
| Throughput | 5–20 t/h, depending on the expansion stage |
| Operating model | Single to multi-shift operation, modular and expandable |
| Output fractions | Glass coarse, medium and fine, aluminium, non-ferrous metals (balled), Si/Ag concentrate, film mix |
| Main machines | Prall-Tec machines for shredding, size reduction and delamination of PV modules: PTPVS, PTT, PTRF, PTV |
| Connected load | 300–950 kW, depending on throughput and the scope of processing |
| Manufacturing & service | Prall-Tec, Lengerich – including assembly and spare parts supply |
Which plant suits your material stream?
- Input and capacity Module types, annual volume, delivery form
- Fractions required Glass quality, metals, concentrate, offtake
- Site and project timing Existing plant, floor space, schedule
A niche is becoming a mass stream.
After 2035 the large installation cohorts of the 2020s will reach the end of their service life. For operators, what matters now is planning material streams, fractions and regional logistics on a sound basis.
End-of-life PV modules per year in Europe (scenario)
- of which glass (~70 %)
- other fractions
- 240 kt 2030
- 403 kt 2035
- 701 kt 2040
- 1.25 m t 2045
- 2.15 m t 2050
Prall-Tec market scenario, as of 2026, rounded. Glass content based on a typical crystalline module.
What determines the economics
- Module type and composition determine the volume of each fraction
- Annual volume and utilisation shift model and expansion stages
- Recovery of the fractions buyers for glass, metals and concentrate
- Logistics and intake catchment area, collection partners, residues
Frequently asked questions
Your question is not listed? Our engineering team replies within one working day.
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Which PV modules can the plant process?
All common types: glass-foil and glass-glass modules, complete with cables and frame, as well as damaged or partly dismantled modules. For special cases we assess suitability in a material test using your material.
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Do the modules have to be dismantled first?
No. Neither dismantling robots nor a frame removal station nor manual preparation are needed. Complete modules including cables and frame are fed directly into our PTPVS shredder and pre-shredded there. Aluminium and other metals are separated later in the process.
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Which fractions are produced?
Glass in three grain sizes (coarse, medium, fine), aluminium, balled non-ferrous metals, a silicon-silver concentrate and a film mix. We document proportions and purity for each project.
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How is the throughput determined?
The plant is designed for 5–20 t/h, depending on the expansion stage. The decisive factors are your annual volume, the planned operating hours and the target utilisation; as material volumes grow it can be expanded to multi-shift operation.
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What influences the economics?
Above all the module mix, utilisation, recovery routes for the fractions and logistics. We calculate scenarios using your site data instead of blanket promises.
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Can the technology be integrated into an existing glass processing line?
Yes, the components are modular. We plan the PV line to suit your existing technology and floor space – converting and optimising existing plants has been part of our core business for years.
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Can I have my own material tested?
Yes. In a material test we run your material on our machines and document the resulting fractions.
Request a project call
Tell us the module type, your estimated annual volume and your site. Our engineering team will come back to you with the next steps – from a material test to a plant concept.