India's rapid solar energy expansion is widely hailed as a success. But without a plan to manage the waste it will generate, how clean is the transition?
In just over a decade, India has become the world's third-largest solar producer, with renewables now central to its climate strategy. Solar panels are everywhere - from vast solar parks to blue rooftops across cities, towns and villages.
Alongside large solar parks, millions of rooftop systems now feed power into the electricity grid. Government data show nearly 2.4 million households have adopted solar under a subsidy scheme.
Solar growth has cut India's reliance on coal. Though thermal and other non-renewables still supply over half of installed capacity, solar now contributes more than 20%. Yet the achievement carries a challenge: while clean in use, solar panels can pose environmental risks if not properly managed.
Solar panels are mostly recyclable, made of glass, aluminium, silver, and polymers - but trace toxic metals like lead and cadmium can pollute soil and water if mishandled.
Solar panels typically last about 25 years, after which they are removed and discarded. India currently has no dedicated budget for solar-waste recycling and only a few small facilities to process old panels.
India has no official data on solar waste, but a study estimated around 100,000 tonnes by 2023, rising to 600,000 tonnes by 2030. For now, the volume is small, but experts warn the bulk is yet to come - and without rapid recycling investment, India could face a growing waste crisis.
A new study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) estimates that India could generate more than 11 million tonnes of solar waste by 2047. Managing this would require almost 300 dedicated recycling facilities and an investment of $478 million over the next two decades.
Most of India's large solar parks were built in the mid-2010s, so the real wave of waste is coming in 10 to 15 years, says Rohit Pahwa of energy company Targray.
Despite the challenges, experts say the problem is not without opportunities. Government intervention is essential for building a proper system for solar waste management that includes awareness campaigns and regulations for recycling.
Without serious plans for recycling, the country's transition to solar energy could result in pile-ups of discarded panels, raising questions about the true environmental cost of this energy source.
