Solar Materials
Solar Materials GmbH operates an industrial-scale crystalline solar module recycling facility in Magdeburg, Germany. Its patented thermomechanical process recovers 99% of materials—silver, silicon, aluminum, copper, and glass—serving solar park operators, EPCs, and module manufacturers across Europe with WEEE-compliant disposal.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersMagdeburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Solar Materials does
Solar Materials GmbH operates an industrial-scale crystalline silicon solar module recycling business headquartered in Magdeburg, Germany. Founded in 2021, the company runs one of Europe's most advanced end-of-life module recycling facilities and processes modules from solar park operators, EPCs and developers, and module manufacturers under a B2B sales-led model. Recycling is offered free of charge to customers shipping 500 or more modules or 10 or more metric tons, with revenue generated entirely from the sale of recovered secondary raw materials—silver, silicon, aluminum, copper, and glass—to industrial offtakers. Current annual processing capacity stands at 14,000 metric tons at the Magdeburg site (roughly 500,000–700,000 panels per year), and management has stated intent to triple this capacity in 2026 while opening the company's first international facility in Italy.
The company's competitive position rests on a patented thermomechanical process that selectively separates the laminate layers of a solar module—glass, aluminum, silicon, silver, copper, plastics—without chemical inputs. The process achieves up to 99% material recovery, materially exceeding the WEEE Directive minimum of 85% and, critically, recovering silver and silicon fractions that are destroyed or lost in conventional shredding-based recycling. The recycling line is modular and relocatable within weeks, enabling deployment close to waste-generation sites across Europe. Since October 2023, the Magdeburg site has operated as a certified WEEE-compliant initial treatment facility and waste management operation under ElektroG, allowing the company to issue complete proof-of-disposal documentation required by customers with statutory take-back obligations.
The economic engine is the high-value silver fraction recovered from end-of-life modules, which refinances the free-of-charge recycling service—contrasting with conventional disposal pricing of EUR 180–210 per metric ton. Solar Materials has secured strategic offtake relationships including a partnership with AGC Glass Europe to supply recovered glass cullet for float glass production, and a bundled dismantling-and-recycling offering with GME clean power AG for German solar park repowering and decommissioning. The company has raised a EUR 2.5M seed (2023), a EUR 12.2M Series A (June 2024), and a Series B of up to EUR 20M in April 2026 with the EIC Fund and NOVA by Saint-Gobain joining as new investors. The team has grown to more than 70 employees focused on industrial recycling, logistics, and technology development, led by co-founders Dr. Jan-Philipp Mai (CEO), David Stuck (CFO), Jan Bargel (CTO), and Fridolin Franke (Operations and Business Development).
Solar Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solar Materials
- Legal name
- SOLAR MATERIALS GmbH
- Website
- https://solar-materials.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Solar Materials GmbH operates an industrial-scale crystalline solar module recycling facility in Magdeburg, Germany. Its patented thermomechanical process recovers 99% of materials—silver, silicon, aluminum, copper, and glass—serving solar park operators, EPCs, and module manufacturers across Europe with WEEE-compliant disposal.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solar Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Module Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)
- SIC
- Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341)
- akta.pro primary industry
- PV Module & Panel Recycling (Glass, Silicon, Metals Recovery) (EUAMALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar End-of-Life, Recycling & Decommissioning (Panels, Inverters, Racking) (EUAMABAM), PV & Energy Device Recycling (Solar Panels, Inverters, Power Electronics) (EUAIAIAL), Decommissioning, Recycling & End-of-Life Services (Module Recycling, Site Restoration) (EUACAGAM)
Keywords
Where Solar Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Magdeburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Solar Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Raw Material Sales (Material Recovery Revenue): SOLAR MATERIALS charges no recycling fees to customers. Instead, the recycling process generates revenue through the sale of recovered raw materials — silver, silicon, glass, aluminum, and copper — to industrial partners. Silver accounts for the largest share of material value (~0.07% of module weight but major share of value). Revenue from material sales refinances the entire recycling process, enabling free-of-charge service for customers from 500 modules/10 metric tons upward.
- Licensing of Recycling Technology: The company states its technology is licensable and deployable globally wherever solar modules reach end of life. The modular recycling line can be replicated at new sites, acting as a blueprint for international rollout. Licensing revenue represents a potential future stream as the company expands internationally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free recycling for crystalline solar modules from 500 modules / 10 metric tons |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Solar Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solar Materials operates an industrial-scale recycling service for end-of-life crystalline silicon solar modules using a patented thermomechanical process that selectively separates the modules layer by layer without chemical inputs. The process recovers up to 99% of contained materials—silver, silicon, glass, aluminum, and copper—as separate, defined material fractions that are sold to industrial partners as secondary raw materials. The service is offered free of charge to customers from volumes of 500 modules / 10 metric tons, with pickup coordinated across Germany and Europe and full WEEE/ElektroG-compliant proof of disposal issued for every order.
Product overview
SOLAR MATERIALS operates a unified solar module recycling service built around its patented thermomechanical process. The core offering is the recycling service, which handles end-of-life crystalline silicon solar modules from pickup through processing to certified documentation under ElektroG/WEEE. The company recovers five material fractions—silver, silicon, glass, aluminum, and copper—and sells these as secondary raw materials to industrial partners in the glass, metal, and semiconductor industries. Capacity currently stands at 14,000 metric tons per year at the Magdeburg facility, with plans for European expansion. The service is offered free of charge to customers from 500 modules/10 metric tons, financed by material revenues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Solar Module Recycling Service WEEE/ElektroG-compliant end-of-life crystalline silicon solar module recycling service using the company's patented thermomechanical process. Recovers silver, silicon, glass, aluminum, and copper at up to 99% recovery rate. Free pickup and recycling from 500 modules / 10 metric tons with end-to-end logistics coordination across Germany and Europe, and complete ElektroG-certified proof of disposal issued for every order.
- Recovered Secondary Raw Materials (Silver, Silicon, Glass, Aluminum, Copper) High-purity, industrial-quality secondary raw material fractions recovered from end-of-life solar modules via the thermomechanical process. Sold to industrial offtakers in the glass industry (including AGC Glass Europe for float glass production), aluminum smelting, precious-metal refining, and silicon processing industries. Output corresponds to up to 14,000 metric tons of module weight processed per year.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% material recovery rate (vs. WEEE minimum of 85%)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Solar Materials
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Solar Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Solar Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GME clean power AGcoreJoint offering between SOLAR MATERIALS and GME clean power AG bundles module dismantling and recycling into a single, cost-free service for solar park operators. GME clean power handles demounting of crystalline solar modules from mounting structures; SOLAR MATERIALS handles subsequent recycling. Up to 99% of contained materials are returned to industrial circulation. The offering is available across Germany from June 23, 2026, and simplifies repowering, revamping, and decommissioning projects while reducing costs and organizational burden for operators.
- Stefan Müller, Enerparc AG (Advisory Board)minorStefan Müller, Co-Founder and COO of Enerparc AG (one of Europe's largest independent solar power plant operators), joined the SOLAR MATERIALS Advisory Board. Müller brings three decades of solar industry experience and understanding of the end-of-life module market from the perspective of a large-scale plant operator.
- AGC Glass EuropecoreCooperation between SOLAR MATERIALS and AGC Glass Europe, one of Europe's leading flat glass manufacturers, to close the loop for solar glass. Glass recovered from end-of-life solar panels (approximately 70% of a solar panel's weight) is used in AGC's float glass production. With its patented chemical-free process, SOLAR MATERIALS achieves 98% recovery rate including glass. The recovered flat glass cullet is of such purity it can directly re-enter the value chain. One tonne of cullet saves 1.2 tonnes of raw material and avoids 0.7 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The partnership creates a closed loop: glass from solar panels becomes new glass for buildings and automotive windshields.
- Circular SiliconminorSOLAR MATERIALS and Circular Silicon participated together at the E-Waste World Conference & Expo in Frankfurt. Both companies are developing new processes beyond conventional methods to recover silicon and silver from end-of-life solar panels. The collaboration involves shared industry engagement and knowledge exchange on circular economy solutions for the solar industry.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Solar Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ROSI Solar: French startup specializing in high-purity recovery of silver, silicon, and other materials from end-of-life PV modules. Targets the same European customer base (solar park operators, manufacturers) and competes on recovery rates versus conventional shredding recyclers.
- SunR (Solar Recycling): French PV recycling company operating thermal processes to recover materials from end-of-life solar panels. Comparable customer base (solar developers, EPCs) and same regulatory-driven European market, offering a competing industrial-scale alternative.
- Rinovasol German GmbH: German PV module recycler operating mechanical/thermal processes to recover materials from end-of-life solar modules. Directly competes with Solar Materials in the German and broader European market for solar panel take-back and material recovery.
Others
- Aurubis AG: European nonferrous metals smelter and refiner that processes recovered copper and other metals. Acts as a downstream offtaker/buyer for Solar Materials' recovered copper/silver but is also exploring circular economy offerings that could compete for upstream material flows.
- Umicore SA: Global materials technology and recycling company specializing in precious metals refining, including silver recovery. Serves as a potential offtaker for Solar Materials' recovered silver and is a broader ecosystem participant in circular materials.
- Reiling Glas Recycling GmbH & Co. KG: German specialist in glass recycling with significant cullet processing capacity. Comparable in materials recovery philosophy and serves as an adjacent/competing supplier of high-quality recycled glass into the float glass value chain (e.g., to AGC and Saint-Gobain).
Regional players
- SolarCycle: US-based PV recycling startup with high-throughput panel recycling and material recovery. Operates a comparable technology-driven business model targeting solar asset owners and manufacturers, but in North America rather than Europe.
Broad incumbents
- ENGIE Solar / SUEZ Circular Solutions: Large European utilities and environmental services groups (ENGIE, SUEZ) with PV end-of-life and circular materials programs that overlap with Solar Materials' offering for solar park operators and EPCs across Europe, though as part of much broader portfolios.
- Veolia Environmental Services: Global waste management giant offering PV module recycling as part of its broader e-waste and hazardous waste portfolio across Europe. Not specialized in PV but provides overlapping capabilities and competes for the same compliance-driven customer volumes.
Emerging players
- Circular Silicon: European startup developing processes to recover silicon and silver from end-of-life solar panels; has co-exhibited with Solar Materials at E-Waste World Conference. Adjacent emerging player in the same high-purity PV material recovery space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Solar Materials social profiles
Digital presenceSolar Materials compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Solar Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solar Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Solar Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solar Materials M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solar Materials
What does Solar Materials do?
Solar Materials operates an industrial-scale recycling service for end-of-life crystalline silicon solar modules using a patented thermomechanical process that selectively separates the modules layer by layer without chemical inputs. The process recovers up to 99% of contained materials—silver, silicon, glass, aluminum, and copper—as separate, defined material fractions that are sold to industrial partners as secondary raw materials. The service is offered free of charge to customers from volumes of 500 modules / 10 metric tons, with pickup coordinated across Germany and Europe and full WEEE/ElektroG-compliant proof of disposal issued for every order.
Is Solar Materials a public or private company?
Solar Materials is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Solar Materials founded?
Solar Materials was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Solar Materials based?
Solar Materials is headquartered in Magdeburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Solar Materials make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Raw Material Sales (Material Recovery Revenue) is the primary driver. The others are licensing of Recycling Technology.
Who are Solar Materials's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ROSI Solar, SunR (Solar Recycling) and Rinovasol German GmbH. Others are Aurubis AG, Umicore SA and Reiling Glas Recycling GmbH & Co. KG. SolarCycle is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are ENGIE Solar / SUEZ Circular Solutions and Veolia Environmental Services. Circular Silicon is listed as an emerging player.
Does Solar Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solar Materials.
What industry is Solar Materials in?
Solar Materials's product category is Solar Module Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMALAA, PV Module & Panel Recycling (Glass, Silicon, Metals Recovery), with a secondary code of EUAMABAM, Solar End-of-Life, Recycling & Decommissioning (Panels, Inverters, Racking). Its NAICS code is 562920 and its SIC code is 3341.