China has developed substantial recycling capabilities for retired renewable energy equipment that now significantly exceed the nation’s current waste volumes, leaving specialized recycling plants operating below capacity. This revelation came from Guo Yijun, Director-General of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s Department of Solid Wastes and Chemicals, during a recent press conference.
According to official projections, China anticipates processing approximately 1.5 to 2 million metric tons of decommissioned photovoltaic modules, 500,000 tons of wind turbine blades, and 1 million tons of power batteries by 2030. These estimates, however, are based on product lifespans and may not fully reflect actual disposal levels as some equipment will find secondary markets for reuse.
The nation’s recycling infrastructure has expanded rapidly, with current annual capacity reaching approximately 2 million tons for solar panels and about 1 million tons for wind turbine components. Additionally, 148 Ministry of Industry and Information Technology-certified companies now possess a combined annual capacity of 2.5 million tons for processing discarded power batteries.
Guo addressed concerns that China’s rapidly expanding renewable energy sector might generate unmanageable waste streams, noting that the current reality demonstrates the opposite situation—recycling capacity outstrips supply. He described the phenomenon using the Chinese expression “cannot eat their fill,” indicating recycling facilities are operating below their potential.
The official also highlighted China’s robust capacity for recycling conventional discarded products, including home appliances and vehicles. More than 90 qualified enterprises with a combined annual capacity of 180 million units recycled approximately 95 million home appliances in 2024, generating nearly 2 million tons of recycled materials. Similarly, China’s network of over 1,900 certified end-of-life vehicle recycling facilities processed 8.46 million vehicles in 2024, representing a 64 percent year-on-year increase.
Despite these advancements, Guo cautioned about emerging overcapacity risks in vehicle dismantling, noting that regional commerce authorities have repeatedly warned market participants to make rational investment decisions to prevent resource waste and disorderly competition.