SPR said on Thursday it has tripled its recycling capacity at its North Carolina headquarters after adding a new processing facility and fourth advanced recycling technology, bolstering its position in the U.S. solar recycling market as states tighten regulations on end-of-life panel disposal.
Capacity Expansion
The company said its new 50,000-square-foot plant expands the Salisbury campus to 300,000 square feet, increasing processing capability from 500,000 to 1.5 million solar panels annually.
Combined with its sites in Texas and Georgia, SPR said it can now process 2.5 million panels a year.
The move comes as U.S. solar deployments surge and state regulators introduce stricter rules on waste management.
North Carolina’s new law, effective Nov. 1, requires decommissioning plans for solar projects larger than 2 megawatts, financial assurances for recycling and registration with the state’s environmental agency.
Technology Upgrade
SPR said its fourth advanced recycling technology, which uses thermal separation, improves the purity of recovered materials such as glass and metals for reintroduction into supply chains.
The company already operates bi-facial panel processing and two other separation methods at utility scale.
“As the solar industry matures, more panels are reaching end of life just as regulations continue to evolve,” Chief Executive Brett C. Henderson said in a statement. “These advancements uniquely position us as the nation’s leading solar recycler, delivering both the scale and innovation the market now requires.”
Cleaner, Resilient Grid
Industry partners welcomed the announcement as a step toward compliance and sustainability.
“Our asset owners are facing increasing obligations to responsibly manage end-of-life panels,” said Justin Wright, executive vice president of RCI Energy Services. “SPR’s advanced recycling technology and increased capacity give us confidence that we can meet these requirements cost-effectively while supporting the broader shift to a cleaner, more resilient grid.”
SPR operates the largest network of owned and operated solar recycling plants in the U.S., with additional sites scheduled to open in 2026. The company said the distributed network reduces transportation costs and emissions while ensuring recycling at scale.
