Tokuyama Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Tomohiro Inoue) supplied cover glass recovered from end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) modules for use in a demonstration experiment conducted by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO: Munehiro Hosonuma; hereinafter "NSG") to manufacture float glass using recycled materials.

The cover glass supplied by Tokuyama was separated and extracted using the Low-Temperature Thermal Decomposition Recycling Technology for Photovoltaic Panels, which Tokuyama jointly developed with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). NSG conducted the demonstration experiment in February 2026 at the float furnace of its Chiba Plant, confirming that the recovered cover glass can be successfully utilized as a recycled raw material under defined conditions.

Tokuyama's low-temperature thermal decomposition technology is a chemical recycling method in which the resin binding the components of photovoltaic panels is completely decomposed within a ceramic filter impregnated with catalysts. This proprietary technology enables high precision separation of cover glass that was previously considered unsuitable for reuse as flat glass due to quality constraints, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of closed-loop recycling into float glass. The practical application and wider adoption of closed-loop recycling of PV cover glass will not only promote effective use of materials recovered from decommissioned photovoltaic panels and contribute to the realization of a circular economy but also support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Looking ahead, Tokuyama is pursuing further automation of second generation thermal decomposition equipment aimed at achieving higher operational efficiency. In addition, development efforts are underway to separate silicon from extracted PV cells and utilize it as a raw material for Tokuyama’s semiconductor grade polycrystalline silicon products. These initiatives have been selected for support under the next NEDO subsidy program.

To address the anticipated large scale disposal of photovoltaic panels expected in the 2030s, Tokuyama will continue advancing technological development and promoting advanced recycling solutions, striving to achieve "100% resource recovery without landfill disposal", and remaining committed to contributing to society through sustainable innovation.

Photo Appendix

NSG Group Chiba Plant

Tokuyama Nanporo PV Panels Recycling Demonstration Facility