Led by Distinguished Professor Yao-Hsien Fu of the Department of Green Energy Technology, National University of Tainan (NUTN), the University's Solar Cell Research Center participated in an international exchange in Tokyo, Japan, on July 14, 2026, through the Solar Cell Circular Economy Industry Alliance. The delegation hosted the Solar Panel Recycling Technology Symposium in collaboration with alliance members Hong Dun Co., Ltd., Dong Jian An Co., Ltd., and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. The event brought together representatives from the Japanese government, the recycling industry, equipment manufacturers, and technical experts to exchange knowledge on solar panel recycling technologies, policy development, and industrial applications, further strengthening Taiwan–Japan cooperation in the circular economy.
The symposium connected government agencies, academia, research institutions, and industry partners from both Taiwan and Japan to address the growing challenge of recycling and reusing end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) panels. Distinguished guests included Sheng-Ming Huang, Head of the Education Division, and Chia-Wen Wu, Head of the Science and Technology Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan. Yuta Okazaki, Director of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, shared insights into Japan's policies and regulatory framework for end-of-life solar panel recycling. From the industrial sector, Yasunori Matsumoto of Kawasaki Heavy Industries represented the Japanese co-organizer. Members of NUTN's Solar Cell Circular Economy Industry Alliance—including Hong Dun Co., Ltd., Dong Jian An Co., Ltd., Jen Jing Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and international alliance member Mayshowa Group—also participated in discussions on policy development, recycling technologies, high-value material recovery, and cross-border industrial collaboration, demonstrating the achievements of Taiwan–Japan partnerships across government, industry, academia, and research.
Professor Fu's research team has devoted more than a decade to developing solar panel recycling technologies and has obtained more than twenty patents related to photovoltaic panel recycling, resource recovery, and high-value material reuse, while actively establishing intellectual property rights in Taiwan and overseas. By integrating resources throughout the industry's supply chain, the team has developed an innovative physical recycling process that requires no heating, no water, and no chemical reagents. The technology efficiently separates and purifies aluminum frames, junction boxes, glass, silicon wafers, silver, EVA encapsulant, and other materials for high-value reuse, demonstrating NUTN's research strengths in both net-zero transition and the circular economy.
As solar photovoltaic installations continue to expand worldwide, recycling end-of-life solar panels has become an increasingly important issue in both energy transition and environmental sustainability. Taiwan recently enacted the Resource Circulation Promotion Act, shifting resource management from conventional waste management toward a full life-cycle circular economy. Japan likewise passed legislation on photovoltaic panel recycling in May 2026, followed by the official announcement of related regulations in June, establishing a comprehensive management framework to prepare for the growing volume of retired solar panels in the years ahead.
Beyond policy development, NUTN has also demonstrated the international applicability of its recycling technologies. Professor Fu's recycling system has undergone more than two years of field validation in California, USA, while the research team continues to collaborate with academic and industrial partners in Australia, Germany, and other countries. During the symposium, NUTN presented global trends in solar panel recycling, practical implementation experiences from the United States, and recent achievements in high-value material recovery. Alliance member Dong Jian An Co., Ltd. introduced its recycling equipment and processing technologies, while Japan's Ministry of the Environment outlined the latest policy directions. Participants also exchanged views on recycling systems, equipment optimization, technological collaboration, and talent cultivation, further strengthening consensus between Taiwan and Japan and laying a solid foundation for future cooperation in solar panel recycling technologies.
National University of Tainan noted that the visit to Japan not only showcased Taiwan's research achievements in solar panel recycling and resource circulation, but also expanded collaboration among government, industry, academia, and research organizations through the Solar Cell Circular Economy Industry Alliance. As the global circular economy continues to evolve, NUTN's expertise in photovoltaic panel recycling and high-value material recovery is expected to further promote international cooperation, cultivate future talent, and provide technological support for the sustainable development of global photovoltaic recycling and resource circulation.