# Solar Repowering & Decommissioning in Chile | Ecobaterías

> Solar plant repowering and decommissioning in Chile: on-site module testing, reuse of modules that pass, recycling of the rest under DS 22/2025. Plan pickup.

Canonical: https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-plant-repowering.html · Language: en · Alternate (es): https://ecobaterias.org/repotenciamiento-plantas-solares.html · Updated: 2026-09-26

Modules from repowering and decommissioning

# Solar plant repowering and decommissioning: test, reuse and recycle the modules

Ecobaterías tests, repairs, refurbishes and reuses lithium batteries and solar panels, and manages the recycling of whatever can no longer be used, with pickup anywhere in Chile.

Updated September 26, 2026 · Reviewed by the Ecobaterías technical team

[Plan the module pickup](https://ecobaterias.org/en/contacto.html?segmento=repotenciamiento) [Message us on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/56940118111?text=Hi%2C%20we%20are%20repowering%20a%20solar%20plant.%20MW%2C%20number%20of%20modules%20and%20location%3A%20)

[+56 9 4011 8111](tel:+56940118111) · We reply within 48 business hours.

## What 1 MW contains

1,430 to 3,125 silicon modules and 55 to 83 metric tons, depending on panel power: 700 W for a current module, 320 W for one installed between 2014 and 2017.

Our own calculation from JinkoSolar and Trina Solar datasheets. [See the table by technology](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-plant-repowering.html#toneladas-por-mw).

- **756** — operating photovoltaic plants in Chile included in the cut-off
- **12,884 MW** — of analyzed nameplate capacity, with ≈34.9 million modules installed
- **400,000–850,000** — modules removed per year in the years when power purchase agreements expire (2030 and 2033–2035)
- **2030** — the power purchase agreement of El Romero expires; the plant has 776,000 modules

Source: [Ecobaterías Solar Observatory](https://ecobaterias.org/en/observatorio.html) · cut-off of 2026-09-11. Years are power purchase agreement expiries, not closures announced by the owners.

When a solar plant is repowered, Ecobaterías tests the modules being removed at the plant (electroluminescence, I-V curve and insulation), by sampling or module by module, and sorts them into four routes: reuse, repair, off-grid use or recycling. Each megawatt of silicon panels equals 1,430 to 3,125 modules and 55 to 83 metric tons, depending on panel power. We coordinate pickup with licensed hazardous-waste transport and close every batch with a test report and a valorization certificate for Supreme Decree (DS) 22/2025.

- **What we do:** On-site testing, grading, coordinated pickup, reuse, repair and recycling management for removed modules
- **Tests:** Thermography, electroluminescence, I-V curve, insulation and wet leakage, by sampling or module by module
- **Routes:** Reuse · repair · off-grid use · recycling
- **Documents:** Batch test report and an intake, traceability and valorization certificate for Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility law (Ley REP, Law No. 20,920)
- **Transport:** We coordinate pickup with licensed hazardous-waste transport
- **Coverage:** All of Chile; mobile on-site testing from Tarapacá to Coquimbo; in other regions, scheduled case by case
- **Status:** Available · quoted per project

## What is solar plant repowering?

Repowering a plant means increasing its nameplate capacity by replacing components with new equipment, mainly modules and inverters. Revamping also replaces components, but to restore performance without substantially changing nameplate capacity or using new land. Both definitions come from the T13-37 report (2026) of IEA-PVPS, the photovoltaic program of the International Energy Agency. Decommissioning is the complete removal of the plant.

In all three cases modules come out, and a test, not the age of the plant, decides where they go. More technical terms are in the [glossary](https://ecobaterias.org/en/glossary.html).

Repowering, revamping and decommissioning: what changes at the plant

| Project | What is replaced | Nameplate capacity | Modules that come out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repowering | Modules and inverters, with new equipment | Increases | The whole array or part of it |
| Revamping | Damaged or underperforming components | Barely changes | Those being replaced |
| Decommissioning | The whole plant | Removed | All of them |

Source: [IEA-PVPS, report T13-37 (2026), table 3](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEA-PVPS-T13-37-2026-REPORT-Second-Life-PV.pdf), for the definitions of repowering and revamping.

## Why are plants repowered?

SolarPower Europe’s operation and maintenance guidelines (version 6.0) group the reasons into four:

- **Degradation and end of life** of modules and inverters.
- **Irreparable defects with no identical replacement:** the same components are unlikely to still be manufactured.
- **Efficiency and power density:** current modules deliver more power on the same land.
- **Regulatory or subsidy changes.**

In Chile, power purchase agreements (PPAs) expiring add a fifth driver. When a PPA expires, the owner can renew it, sell the energy on the market or repower; in all three cases someone has to decide what happens to the installed modules. According to the [Ecobaterías Solar Observatory](https://ecobaterias.org/en/observatorio.html), the flow of removed modules stays between 55,000 and 80,000 a year through 2029 and rises to between 400,000 and 850,000 in the years when PPAs expire (2030 and 2033–2035). The plant-by-plant detail is in the [timeline](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-plant-repowering.html#calendario).

Sources: [SolarPower Europe, O&M Best Practice Guidelines v6.0](https://solarbestpractices.com/guidelines/detail/revamping-and-repowering) · [Ecobaterías Solar Observatory](https://ecobaterias.org/en/observatorio.html), cut-off of 2026-09-11.

## How many modules and tons come out per MW?

It depends on the power and weight of each module. A plant with 320 W panels removes more than twice as many modules per MW as one with current 700 W panels, and about 50% more tons.

Modules and metric tons per MW by module type

| Reference module | Power | Weight | Modules per MW | Tons per MW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72-cell polycrystalline, 2014–2017 (JinkoSolar JKM320PP-72) | 320 W | 26.5 kg | 3,125 | ≈83 t |
| Monocrystalline PERC, QUASAR project base case | 540–550 W | ≈32.6 kg | ≈1,835 | ≈60 t |
| Bifacial glass-glass TOPCon (Trina Solar Vertex N) | 700 W | 38.3 kg | ≈1,429 | ≈55 t |
| Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film (First Solar Series 4) | 92.5–117.5 W | 12 kg | 8,500–10,800 | ≈100–130 t |

Source: our own calculation from the datasheets of [JinkoSolar JKM320PP-72](https://www.jinkosolar.com/uploads/5e93f9cc/Eagle%20JKM320-340PP-72-(V)-A3,1-EN.pdf), [Trina Solar Vertex N](https://static.trinasolar.com/sites/default/files/Datasheet_NEG21C.20.pdf) and [First Solar Series 4](https://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/first-solar/series-4/54324-554055.html), and the base case of the [QUASAR project, D2.2 (2025)](https://quasar-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/D2.2_Deliverable_Report_final_v1.0_watermark.pdf). IRENA (2016) cites earlier studies that used 100 t per MW as a first approximation.

Two Chilean references: El Romero (Vallenar) has 776,000 polycrystalline silicon modules across 246 MWp, operating since November 2016, which works out to about 3,150 modules per MWp at 317 W on average. Amanecer Solar CAP (Copiapó) has more than 310,000 modules across 100 MW, operating since June 2014.

**Example:** repowering 100 MW of 320 W modules removes about 312,500 modules and close to 8,300 metric tons. For transport planning, a current 2.28 × 1.13 m module weighs 32 kg; a factory pallet holds 36 modules (≈1.15 t) and a 40-foot high-cube container holds 720 (≈23 t).

Sources: [Acciona Energía, El Romero plant](https://www.acciona-energia.com/projects/el-romero-solar-pv-plant) · [Power Technology, Amanecer Solar CAP](https://www.power-technology.com/projects/amanecer-solar-cap-power-plant-copiapo/) · [JinkoSolar, Tiger Neo 72HL4-BDV datasheet (2025)](https://jinkosolar.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JKM570-590N-72HL4-BDV-F5C1-EN.pdf). The totals in the example are our own calculation.

## On-site testing: sampling or module by module?

Testing decides where each module goes, and it happens at the plant, before the batch moves. Our method is aligned with the draft of IEC PAS 63525, the first International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) document on PV module reuse. It is not published yet: in August 2026 it was in the final approval stage. According to the IEA-PVPS summary, the draft sets out two approaches:

- **Sampling**, for operating plants with uniform degradation. It relies on monitoring history, maintenance tickets, thermography reports and the insulation faults logged by the inverter. The sample follows ISO 2859-1: in a plant with 125,000 modules, general level G1 calls for 200 modules and special level S3 for 32.
- **Module by module**, mandatory for plants damaged by hail or wind and for modules already stacked in storage. The draft also recommends testing every module that will be sold.

At a minimum, the sample goes through four tests: maximum power at standard test conditions (STC: 1,000 W/m² and 25 °C), measured on the I-V curve, which relates the module’s current and voltage; electroluminescence (EL), an image of the light the module emits when current is injected in the dark, which reveals microcracks and inactive cells; a detailed visual inspection; and wet leakage, which measures insulation with the module wetted in a conductive solution.

*How the destination of the modules is decided. Testing approaches per the draft of IEC PAS 63525; power classes per the Ecobaterías testing protocol.*

On-site tests: what they detect and the pass criterion

| Test | What it detects | Reference standard | Criterion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrared thermography, with the plant operating | Hot spots, disconnected cell groups, active diodes | IEC TS 62446-3:2017 | Irradiance ≥ 600 W/m² and wind below 28 km/h (17 mph); a cell more than 40 K above its neighbors is a safety-relevant anomaly (class 3) |
| Visual inspection | Broken glass, burn marks, delamination, damaged junction box | IEC 61215-2:2021 (MQT 01) | At least 1,000 lux; rejects major visual defects |
| I-V curve | Maximum power (Pmax), open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc) and fill factor | IEC 60904-1; correction to STC with IEC 60891:2021 | Power against nameplate: classes P1, P2 and P3 |
| Electroluminescence | Microcracks, broken or inactive cells, broken fingers | IEC TS 60904-13:2018 | Images at short-circuit current and at one tenth of it |
| Dry insulation and wet leakage | Insulation faults in the backsheet or the junction box | IEC 61215-2:2021 (MQT 03 and MQT 15) | ≥ 40 MΩ·m² for modules larger than 0.1 m² |
| Bypass diodes | Open or shorted diode | Voc measurement (procedure cited by IEA-PVPS) | A Voc of 2/3 points to one cell group out of circuit |

Sources: [IEC TS 62446-3:2017](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/28628) · [IEC 61215-2:2021, preview](https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/101269/e9c169bfdf004586a8c0cf8bf9e2a625/IEC-61215-2-2021.pdf) · [IEC 60891:2021](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/61766) · [IEC TS 60904-13:2018](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/26703) · [IEA-PVPS T13-10:2018](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Review_on_IR_and_EL_Imaging_for_PV_Field_Applications_by_Task_13.pdf) · [Millennial Solar, wet leakage](https://en.millennialsolar.com/news/314.html) · [IEA-PVPS T13-37:2026](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEA-PVPS-T13-37-2026-REPORT-Second-Life-PV.pdf) · IEC PAS 63525 status at [iss.rs](https://iss.rs/en/project/show/iec:proj:120892).

Why wet leakage and not just dry insulation? In a 2026 study of 37 modules from utility-scale plants, 8.1% failed dry and 21.6% failed wet. In Australia, of 3,749 decommissioned modules analyzed by ANU and CSIRO, 58.1% passed, with a median remaining service life of about 12 years; of those that passed the I-V curve and electroluminescence, about 14% failed wet leakage.

Sources: [Sustainability 18(3):1212, 2026](https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/18/3/1212) · [pv magazine, 2026-08-19](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/08/19/i-v-screening-for-decommissioned-pv-modules/).

In our laboratory, testing one module takes about 6 minutes, and one day covers 50 to 100 modules. That is testing capacity, not a committed lead time: at the plant, the pace depends on access and the dismantling plan. The full scope of each test is on [solar panel testing](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-panel-testing.html).

Source: Ecobaterías testing protocol · 2026-09-18.

## What happens to the removed modules?

Testing assigns each module to one of four routes. The power classes are Ecobaterías’ own threshold, measured against nameplate power; the IEC standards are the method, not a certification of ours.

### Reuse

Classes P1 (85% or more of nameplate power) and P2 (80–85%), with no critical defects in electroluminescence and sound insulation. They are sold with measured power as [refurbished panels](https://ecobaterias.org/en/refurbished-solar-panels.html).

### Repair

A fault in the junction box, a bypass diode (the one that routes current around a failing cell group), cables or connectors. It is repaired and retested, including wet leakage. [What can be fixed](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-panel-repair.html).

### Off-grid use

Class P3 (70–80% of nameplate power): suitable for uses not connected to the grid, subject to what Chile’s Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels (Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles, SEC) requires.

### Recycling

Below 70% of nameplate power, broken glass, delamination reaching the edge or insulation that cannot be fixed. It goes to [solar panel recycling](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-panel-recycling-chile.html) with a certificate.

Source: Ecobaterías testing protocol · 2026-09-18. Our own classification, measured against a calibrated reference; it is not a standard.

According to the European QUASAR project, at least half of the modules replaced in a repowering are usually in reasonable condition for reuse. For partial repowering, QUASAR recommends replacing more modules than strictly needed and keeping the healthy ones as spares. Replacing diodes, junction boxes, cables and connectors are mature repairs (technology readiness level 9) done in the field. According to Suncycle, as cited by IEA-PVPS, junction box and diode repairs succeed in about 90% of recent modules and 75% of heavily aged ones.

**Grid connection.** The SEC authorizes modules by brand and model, based on new-product IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certificates (SEC Exempt Resolution 32,427/2020), and its technical instruction RGR No. 02/2024 prohibits installing modules with breaks or cracks. There is no authorization path for used or refurbished modules. Every module we reuse keeps its brand, model and nameplate; the installation declared to the SEC is defined by the licensed electrical installer. We recommend checking with the SEC before connecting used modules to the grid. Off-grid installations are not exempt either: instruction ITG RIC No. 9.1 sets the same requirement. Modules with broken glass are neither sold nor repaired.

Sources: [QUASAR, D2.2 (2025)](https://quasar-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/D2.2_Deliverable_Report_final_v1.0_watermark.pdf) · [IEA-PVPS T13-37:2026](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEA-PVPS-T13-37-2026-REPORT-Second-Life-PV.pdf) · [SEC Exempt Resolution 32,427/2020](https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1146347) · [SEC, RGR No. 02/2024](https://www.sec.cl/sitio-web/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RGR-N-02-2024-V11-destacada.pdf) · [SEC, ITG RIC No. 9.1](https://www.sec.cl/sitio-web/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/5-EXIGENCIAS-TECNICAS-DE-INSTALACIONES-FOTOVOLTAICAS-AISLADAS-ITG-V4.pdf).

## How we work: a seven-step protocol

1. **Plant data**Capacity (MW), module brand and model, quantity, installation year, location and reason for removal, plus the monitoring history, thermography reports and insulation faults logged by the inverters.
2. **Test plan**With that data we decide whether an ISO 2859-1 sample is enough or module-by-module testing is needed, and we propose the preliminary routes for the batch. We reply within 48 business hours.
3. **On-site testing**Thermography with the plant operating; then electroluminescence, I-V curve, insulation and wet leakage on the sample or on every module.
4. **Grading and report**Each module or batch is assigned a route (A, B, C or D) with its measured power. The report arrives before dispatch, so the owner decides with data.
5. **Dismantling, sorting and packaging**The owner or its contractor dismantles. We provide the instructions: pallets labeled by route, no stacking or crushing, modules covered with opaque material and glass fragments contained.
6. **Pickup and transport**We coordinate pickup with licensed hazardous-waste transport. Undamaged panels going to reuse travel as regular freight. The owner issues the declaration document in SIDREP, Chile’s national hazardous-waste declaration and tracking system.
7. **Destination and certificates**Reuse, repair or recycling according to the route. Every batch closes with an intake, traceability and valorization certificate for EPR reporting under Law No. 20,920 and the targets of DS 22/2025.

## On-site logistics: who does what

Testing comes before dispatch so that each module leaves the plant only once, sorted by route: what will be reused travels protected, and what will be recycled goes straight to its destination. Packaging and shipping documents are covered in [collection and transport of batteries and panels](https://ecobaterias.org/en/battery-solar-panel-collection-transport.html).

Division of tasks between the owner and Ecobaterías

| Task | Owner or its contractor (EPC or O&M) | Ecobaterías |
|---|---|---|
| Plant data and history | Provides them | Defines the test plan |
| On-site testing | Provides access and a work window | Tests and issues the report |
| Dismantling and packaging | Dismantles and packs | Provides the instructions for each route |
| Storage at the plant | Keeps the pallets covered, dry and labeled | Sets the pickup order |
| Declaration document (SIDREP) | Issues it as the waste generator | Provides the transport and destination details |
| Transport | Provides access for loading | Coordinates pickup with licensed hazardous-waste transport |
| Certificates | Uses them in its reporting | Issues the intake, traceability and valorization certificate |

EPC is the project’s engineering, procurement and construction contractor; O&M, the operation and maintenance company. During dismantling we ask crews to follow these rules:

- Lift each module with two people, by the short side and never by the junction box.
- Do not step on modules or place other objects on them; store them somewhere dry and flat, protected from rain and sun.
- A module produces voltage under any light: cover it with opaque material before handling cables and connectors.
- Separate reusable modules from the rest, with colored film or labeled pallets, without stacking or crushing.
- Do not throw, over-stack or disassemble modules fit for reuse during collection, as the final proposal of DS 22/2025 requires.
- A module with broken glass is not cleaned or handled without protection, because of the risk of electric shock. Its fragments are contained with film (our own criterion).

Sources: [JinkoSolar, storage instructions (2024)](https://jinkosolar.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Unpacking-and-Storage-Instruction-EN_2024.04.29.pdf) · [JinkoSolar, installation manual V11 (2026)](https://jinkosolar.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JinkoSolar-EU-Installation-Manual_20260512_V11.pdf) · [QUASAR, D2.2 (2025)](https://quasar-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/D2.2_Deliverable_Report_final_v1.0_watermark.pdf) · [Chilean Ministry of the Environment, Exempt Resolution 3413/2025](https://economiacircular.mma.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Res.-Ex.-3413_2025_Aprueba-Ppta-Decreto-Metas-Pilas-y-Aparatos-Electricos-y-Electronicos.pdf).

## Who buys the modules that are reused?

The secondary market grows with repowering. According to pv magazine, the Dutch platform Search4Solar gathered more than 150,000 used modules in 2025, most of them from repowering projects. According to IEA-PVPS, SOLARCYCLE powers its plant in Odessa (Texas) with a 500 kW system built from about 1,000 retired modules, which covers roughly half of its demand. In Brazil, 23-year-old polycrystalline modules kept 87–88% of their nameplate power, and 68% were fit for a second life.

The route A modules we sell come with their measured power, an electroluminescence image and an insulation test, plus a 1-year seller’s warranty. Each one keeps its brand, model and nameplate. More detail on [used and refurbished solar panels](https://ecobaterias.org/en/refurbished-solar-panels.html) and [testing and reuse of decommissioned panels](https://ecobaterias.org/en/reutilizacion-paneles-solares.html).

One point to check before tendering: according to the Ministry of Energy’s Circular Economy in Energy Roadmap, manufacturer warranties generally do not allow modules to be repaired or reused.

Sources: [pv magazine, 2026-04-10](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/04/10/search4solar-provides-platform-to-bolster-the-secondary-market-for-used-pv-modules/) · [IEA-PVPS T13-37:2026](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEA-PVPS-T13-37-2026-REPORT-Second-Life-PV.pdf) · [pv magazine, 2026-03-31](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/03/31/extensive-testing-validates-reuse-of-23-year-old-second-life-polycrystalline-solar-modules/) · [Chilean Ministry of Energy, Circular Economy in Energy Roadmap 2026–2030](https://energia.gob.cl/sites/default/files/documentos/hoja_de_ruta_de_economia_circular_en_energia.pdf).

## Recycling with a certificate for DS 22/2025

What cannot be reused or repaired is recycled. By weight, a silicon module is 76% glass, 10% polymers (encapsulant and backsheet), 8% aluminum, 5% silicon and 1% copper, with less than 0.1% silver: 6 to 10 grams per panel.

In the industry, recycling starts by removing the aluminum frame, the junction box and the cables. The glass is then separated from the laminate by shredding, with a hot knife at 180–200 °C or by pyrolysis at 300–600 °C, and finally silver, copper and silicon are recovered, usually by chemical means.

For route D modules, we prepare the batch (dismantling and sorting) and manage its valorization with authorized receivers, in Chile or in OECD countries where applicable; EcoBaterías SpA closes the SIDREP declaration as the receiving facility and issues the valorization certificate. The certificate states the number of modules, the mass received and the destination of each fraction. Details are on [solar panel recycling in Chile](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-panel-recycling-chile.html).

[DS 22/2025](https://ecobaterias.org/en/ds-22-2025-solar-panels-epr.html), published on May 7, 2026, sets collection and recovery targets for photovoltaic modules, enforceable 24 months later (May 2028): 10% in the third year (2030) and 50% from the tenth (2037). It is the only target under Law No. 20,920 measured against the estimated waste of each year rather than against what was placed on the market. The decree also requires photovoltaic installations above 1 MW to report their panels in use and projected waste every year, before May 31, in the RETC, Chile’s Pollutant Release and Transfer Register. A repowering changes both figures, and the batch certificate is the evidence behind that report.

Sources: [IRENA and IEA-PVPS, End-of-Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels (2016)](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IRENA_IEAPVPS_End-of-Life_Solar_PV_Panels_2016.pdf) · [IEA-PVPS T12-31:2025](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IEA-PVPS-T12-31-2025-REPORT-Status-Module-Recycling.pdf) · [DS 22/2025, Diario Oficial, 2026-05-07](https://www.diariooficial.interior.gob.cl/publicaciones/2026/05/07/44443/01/2805526.pdf) · [País Circular, 2026-09-09](https://www.paiscircular.cl/economia-circular/paneles-fotovoltaicos-la-unica-meta-de-la-ley-rep-cuyo-cumplimiento-se-mide-en-relacion-a-residuos-estimados-y-no-a-lo-introducido-al-mercado/).

## Are removed modules hazardous waste?

By default, yes. According to the Chilean Ministry of Energy’s Circular Economy in Energy Roadmap 2026–2030, end-of-life or damaged panels are handled as hazardous waste unless they are declassified under Supreme Decree (DS) 148/2003, Chile’s health regulation on hazardous waste management. The classification depends on the tests for each model: IRENA reports leachate of up to 11 mg/L of lead from silicon modules, above the 5 mg/L limit in DS 148 (art. 14). CdTe modules contain cadmium and tellurium, which DS 148 lists as hazardous constituents; in Chile, Luz del Norte has more than 1.7 million of these modules across 141 MWac.

What DS 148 requires if the modules are handled as hazardous waste

| Topic | Rule | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Management plan | Mandatory for anyone generating, per year, more than 12 kg of acutely toxic waste or more than 12 metric tons of other hazardous waste. If the modules from 1 MW (55 to 83 t) are handled as hazardous waste, they already exceed that threshold. | 25 |
| Storage | Up to 6 months, extendable once for the same period with a technical report. | 31 |
| Transport | The carrier needs a health permit from the Seremi de Salud (Chile’s regional health authority); the declaration document and safety sheets travel on board. | 36 and 39 |
| Declaration | The generator issues the declaration document; the receiver confirms receipt within 24 hours and each party keeps its copy for 2 years. | 81 and 83 |

In that chain, we coordinate licensed transport and an authorized destination for each route, and we hand over the documents. The declaration is filed by the owner as the waste generator, using the data we provide.

**SEIA.** The owner can ask Chile’s Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) whether the repowering must enter the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) through a relevance consultation (consulta de pertinencia, DS 40, art. 26). The SEA’s relevance portal lists consultations from photovoltaic plants. The filing belongs to the owner; we provide the module count, their destination and the pickup traceability.

Sources: [Chilean Ministry of Energy, Circular Economy in Energy Roadmap 2026–2030](https://energia.gob.cl/sites/default/files/documentos/hoja_de_ruta_de_economia_circular_en_energia.pdf) · [DS 148/2003, Library of the National Congress of Chile](https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=226458) · [IRENA and IEA-PVPS (2016)](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IRENA_IEAPVPS_End-of-Life_Solar_PV_Panels_2016.pdf) · [Business Wire, Luz del Norte (2015)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151028006402/en/Solar-Connects-Luz-del-Norte-Chilean-Central) · [DS 40, SEIA regulation](https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1053563) · [SEA, relevance consultation portal](https://pertinencia.sea.gob.cl/sea-pertinence-web/services/public/document/9ACFEC4A-2CAB-44E2-84D3-4F1EF79BC7BC).

## Timeline: contract expiries and DS 22/2025 targets

PPA expiries line up with the DS 22/2025 targets: the first target, 10%, falls in 2030, the same year as the first large expiry.

2026-05-07

### DS 22/2025 published

Collection and recovery targets for photovoltaic modules, enforceable 24 months later.

May 2028

### Targets enforceable

The decree’s targets and associated obligations take effect.

2030

### El Romero

The power purchase agreement of a plant with 776,000 modules expires. DS 22/2025 target: 10%.

2033

### El Pelícano

Power purchase agreement expiry.

2034

### Amanecer Solar CAP and Pozo Almonte II and III

Power purchase agreement expiries.

2035

### Javiera

Power purchase agreement expiry.

2037

### Tambo Real

First plant at the end of its technical life. DS 22/2025 target: 50%.

Sources: [Ecobaterías Solar Observatory](https://ecobaterias.org/en/observatorio.html), cut-off of 2026-09-11 · [DS 22/2025, Diario Oficial, 2026-05-07](https://www.diariooficial.interior.gob.cl/publicaciones/2026/05/07/44443/01/2805526.pdf). These are power purchase agreement expiries, not closures announced by the owners.

In 2030 and from 2033 to 2035, the Observatory estimates 400,000 to 850,000 modules removed per year. It pays to set the destination of the modules in the repowering tender documents, before awarding the dismantling work: that way testing fits into the construction schedule instead of delaying it.

## Price and lead times

Quoted per project. These are the variables that move the figure:

- **Number of modules and condition:** intact, faulty or broken.
- **Type of testing:** sampling or module by module.
- **Distance** between the plant and the destination of each route.
- **Dismantling and packaging:** who does them.
- **Route mix:** how many modules are reused, repaired or recycled.

Testing, pickup and certificate lead times are confirmed in the quote. The published price of 22 UF (Chile’s inflation-indexed unit of account) per tonne plus VAT (19%) applies to [lithium-ion battery intake](https://ecobaterias.org/en/servicios.html#precio-recepcion) and does not apply to photovoltaic modules. To get a quote, use the [repowering contact form](https://ecobaterias.org/en/contacto.html?segmento=repotenciamiento) with the MW, module model and count, year and location. We reply within 48 business hours. All our battery and panel services are listed under [services](https://ecobaterias.org/en/servicios.html).

## Frequently asked questions

### What does solar repowering mean?

Repowering a solar plant means increasing its nameplate capacity by replacing components with new equipment, mainly modules and inverters. In Chile it is called repotenciamiento. When components are replaced without substantially changing capacity, the term is revamping. In both cases, modules come out that can be tested and then reused, repaired or recycled.

### What is the difference between repowering and revamping?

Repowering increases the plant’s nameplate capacity with new equipment. Revamping replaces components to restore performance, without substantially changing capacity or using new land. These are the definitions in the IEA-PVPS T13-37 report (2026). In both cases, modules come out that should be tested before deciding where they go.

### What happens to the panels removed from a plant?

They are tested and sorted into four routes: reuse if they keep at least 80% of nameplate power; repair if the fault is in the junction box, diodes or connectors; off-grid use between 70% and 80%, subject to SEC requirements; and recycling below 70% or with broken glass. According to the European QUASAR project, at least half of the replaced modules are usually fit for reuse.

### Are removed modules hazardous waste?

By default, yes. According to Chile’s Ministry of Energy, end-of-life or damaged panels are handled as hazardous waste unless they are declassified under Supreme Decree (DS) 148/2003. That requires licensed transport, a declaration in SIDREP, Chile’s hazardous-waste tracking system, and an authorized destination. The classification depends on the tests for each module model.

### What does DS 22/2025 require?

It sets collection and recovery targets for photovoltaic modules, enforceable from May 2028: 10% in the third year (2030) and 50% from the tenth (2037), measured against the estimated waste of each year. In addition, installations above 1 MW must report their panels in use and projected waste every year, before May 31, in the RETC, Chile’s Pollutant Release and Transfer Register.

### Does a repowering project need an SEIA relevance consultation?

It depends on the project, and the answer comes from Chile’s Environmental Assessment Service (SEA). The owner can file a relevance consultation (DS 40, art. 26) so the SEA states whether the change must enter the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA); its portal lists consultations from photovoltaic plants. We provide the module count, their destination and the pickup traceability for that filing.

### How much power do removed modules keep?

It depends on age and damage, and only testing confirms it. Polycrystalline modules aged 23 years kept 87–88% of nameplate power in a trial in Brazil. In Australia, 58% of 3,749 decommissioned modules were still fit for reuse, with about 12 years of remaining service life. NREL reports a median degradation of 0.5% per year.

### What is recovered when a panel is recycled?

By weight, a silicon module is 76% glass, 10% polymers, 8% aluminum, 5% silicon and 1% copper, with less than 0.1% silver (IRENA, 2016). Recycling first removes the aluminum frame, the junction box and the cables, then separates the glass from the laminate, which holds the silicon and the metals. Every batch closes with a valorization certificate.

More answers in our [FAQ on lithium batteries and solar panels](https://ecobaterias.org/en/faq.html).

## Sources

- Performance and Reliability Aspects of 2nd Life Photovoltaic Modules, T13-37. IEA-PVPS, 2026. [iea-pvps.org](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IEA-PVPS-T13-37-2026-REPORT-Second-Life-PV.pdf)
- O&M Best Practice Guidelines v6.0, revamping and repowering. SolarPower Europe. [solarbestpractices.com](https://solarbestpractices.com/guidelines/detail/revamping-and-repowering)
- QUASAR, deliverable D2.2, 2025-06-11. [quasar-project.eu](https://quasar-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/D2.2_Deliverable_Report_final_v1.0_watermark.pdf)
- Ecobaterías Solar Observatory, cut-off of 2026-09-11: operating plants, analyzed capacity, installed modules and power purchase agreement expiries. [Methodology](https://ecobaterias.org/en/observatorio.html)
- Datasheets: JinkoSolar JKM320PP-72, Trina Solar Vertex N NEG21C.20, First Solar Series 4 and JinkoSolar Tiger Neo 72HL4-BDV. [jinkosolar.com](https://www.jinkosolar.com/uploads/5e93f9cc/Eagle%20JKM320-340PP-72-(V)-A3,1-EN.pdf) · [trinasolar.com](https://static.trinasolar.com/sites/default/files/Datasheet_NEG21C.20.pdf) · [directindustry.com](https://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/first-solar/series-4/54324-554055.html) · [jinkosolar.eu](https://jinkosolar.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JKM570-590N-72HL4-BDV-F5C1-EN.pdf)
- End-of-Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels. IRENA and IEA-PVPS, 2016. [iea-pvps.org](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IRENA_IEAPVPS_End-of-Life_Solar_PV_Panels_2016.pdf)
- Status of PV Module Recycling in IEA PVPS Task 12 Countries, T12-31. IEA-PVPS, 2025. [iea-pvps.org](https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IEA-PVPS-T12-31-2025-REPORT-Status-Module-Recycling.pdf)
- IEC TS 62446-3:2017, IEC 61215-2:2021, IEC 60904-1, IEC 60891:2021 and IEC TS 60904-13:2018, cited as reference methods; IEC PAS 63525 under approval. [webstore.iec.ch](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/28628) · [iss.rs](https://iss.rs/en/project/show/iec:proj:120892)
- Jordan and Kurtz, Photovoltaic Degradation Rates: An Analytical Review. NREL. [docs.nrel.gov](https://docs.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/51664.pdf)
- Technical instructions RGR No. 02/2024 and ITG RIC No. 9.1. Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles (SEC). [sec.cl](https://www.sec.cl/sitio-web/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RGR-N-02-2024-V11-destacada.pdf)
- Circular Economy in Energy Roadmap 2026–2030. Chilean Ministry of Energy, 2026. [energia.gob.cl](https://energia.gob.cl/sites/default/files/documentos/hoja_de_ruta_de_economia_circular_en_energia.pdf)
- Supreme Decree 22/2025, collection and recovery targets for batteries, electrical and electronic equipment and photovoltaic modules. Ministry of the Environment, 2026. [diariooficial.interior.gob.cl](https://www.diariooficial.interior.gob.cl/publicaciones/2026/05/07/44443/01/2805526.pdf) · [carey.cl](https://www.carey.cl/publican-decreto-que-establece-metas-de-recoleccion-y-valorizacion-de-residuos-de-pilas-y-aparatos-electricos-y-electronicos)
- Hazardous waste management regulation, Supreme Decree (DS) 148/2003. Ministry of Health. [bcn.cl](https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=226458)
- [Ley 20.920 (Chile’s EPR law)](https://ecobaterias.org/en/chile-epr-law-batteries.html). Library of the National Congress of Chile, 2016. [bcn.cl](https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1090894)
- Ecobaterías testing protocol, 2026-09-18: classes P1, P2 and P3 and testing rate. Our own threshold, not a standard.

Updated September 26, 2026 · Reviewed by the Ecobaterías technical team

## Is your plant being repowered or decommissioned?

Tell us the MW, module model and count, year and location. We will propose the test plan and the batch routes within 48 business hours.

- Reply within 48 business hours
- Pickup coordinated with licensed transport across Chile
- Technical report and certificate for every batch
- Cobalt sulfate tested at Codelco El Teniente: 22% lower cost

[Plan the module pickup](https://ecobaterias.org/en/contacto.html?segmento=repotenciamiento) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/56940118111?text=Hi%2C%20we%20are%20repowering%20a%20solar%20plant.%20MW%2C%20number%20of%20modules%20and%20location%3A%20)

## Keep reading

### [Solar panel testing](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-panel-testing.html)

Electroluminescence, I-V curve, thermography and insulation, with a report per module.

### [Used and refurbished solar panels](https://ecobaterias.org/en/refurbished-solar-panels.html)

Modules with measured power, an EL image and an insulation test before sale.

### [Solar panel recycling](https://ecobaterias.org/en/solar-panel-recycling-chile.html)

Pickup, handling and a valorization certificate for modules that can no longer be used.

### [Collection and transport](https://ecobaterias.org/en/battery-solar-panel-collection-transport.html)

Packaging, licensed transport and shipping documents across Chile.

### [DS 22/2025: solar panel EPR](https://ecobaterias.org/en/ds-22-2025-solar-panels-epr.html)

Targets, estimated waste and who reports what.

### [Solar Observatory](https://ecobaterias.org/en/observatorio.html)

Plants, installed modules and the contract expiry timeline in Chile.

---

contacto@ecobaterias.org · WhatsApp +56 9 4011 8111 · Santiago and Viña del Mar, Chile.
Ecobaterías is a Chilean company that recycles, repairs and reuses lithium batteries and solar panels.