“We need to move beyond the idea that performance is tied to newness. Photovoltaic modules have significant value after their first life and reusing them is an effective way to reduce both waste and carbon emissions in the energy and construction sectors.”
Luc Federzoni, Co-founder, SolReed
The rapid expansion of solar energy has led to a growing volume of photovoltaic (PV) modules reaching the end of their first life. While recycling remains important, reuse represents a higher-value pathway, preserving both the embedded energy and functional performance of these components. Yet, despite its potential, the reuse of PV modules is still emerging and faces technical, regulatory, and market barriers.
Originating from research conducted at CEA INES, SolReed builds on nearly a decade of work on photovoltaic reuse within European research projects. The company was officially founded in 2024 to industrialise these efforts and bring high-quality reused modules to market.
From sourcing to qualification: building a reliable reuse value chain
SolReed has developed a fully integrated value chain covering sourcing, logistics, testing, and certification of reused PV modules. This end-to-end approach ensures traceability and quality control at every stage, addressing one of the key challenges in the reuse market: trust.
Each module undergoes a rigorous qualification process that goes beyond standard practices for new products. This includes systematic visual inspection, electroluminescence imaging to detect microcracks or faulty connections, flash testing to assess electrical performance, and leakage current measurements to ensure safety.
In anticipation of upcoming regulatory developments, these protocols align with the future French reuse label for photovoltaic panels, which will be introduced by SOREN in 2026. SolReed further strengthens its approach through advanced destructive testing campaigns, leveraging high-end research equipment and long-term collaboration with CEA INES.
Ensuring performance and insurability
To match market expectations, SolReed provides guarantees comparable to those of new products, including a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty on selected modules. The company also operates under comprehensive liability insurance, covering potential risks associated with installation and operation.
This alignment with conventional market standards is essential to overcoming scepticism among clients and stakeholders, who often perceive reused components as less reliable despite evidence of the contrary. Instead, by ensuring compatibility with validated mounting solutions and engineering assessments, reuse can be integrated into current construction practices without compromising safety or performance.
The modules selected by SolReed—such as the modules from 300Wp up to 400Wp—originate from recent installations and benefit from full traceability. Their selection is based on technical reliability, low degradation rates, and compatibility with existing mounting systems across multiple applications, including rooftops, carports, and flat roofs.
Scaling reuse in the construction sector
Initial deployment projects demonstrate the viability of this approach, with the first installation of reused modules completed in 2025 in Grenoble. Within INBUILT, the demonstration tiny house developed in Pfeffenhausen (Germany) has equipped its roof by high performance second life modules marking an important milestone in demonstrating the scalability of reuse solutions. Two other INBUILT demonstrations are in progress: an experimental house in CEA and the headquarter of the FILIATER company.
Contacts with major construction and installation companies are accelerating market uptake. Projects involving actors such as Eiffage Construction and Bouygues Construction illustrate the growing interest in integrating reused PV modules into mainstream building projects.
However, challenges remain. Production and qualification processes are still relatively labor-intensive, and broader adoption will require further industrialisation, cost optimisation, and more supportive regulatory frameworks, especially regarding certification standards.
How Second Life PV panels can reduce environmental impact through reuse
Reusing photovoltaic modules significantly reduces the need for new raw materials and avoids premature recycling or disposal. This contributes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, minimising waste, and supporting a more circular approach to energy systems within the built environment.
By bridging research and industrial deployment, SolReed exemplifies how reuse strategies can be implemented at scalein the building sector. The experience gained through ongoing projects will contribute to shaping future standards and accelerating the transition toward circular construction practices.
As part of the INBUILT project, such initiatives highlight the potential of reuse not only for traditional construction materials but also for energy systems integrated into buildings, thereby expanding the scope of circularity in the built environment.
This article was written by Luc Federzoni (Solreed) and curated by Giorgio Alessandro (Greenovate! Europe) for the INBUILT project.
