The number reaches hundreds. Amid other piles of rubbish, this pile of material soaked in Belgian rain cries out. At the time of the energy transition, tons of used solar panels are accumulating in factories located on the French-Belgian border, along the Lys river. “All photovoltaic panels processed here come from France», said Emmanuel Katrakis, director of institutional and regulatory affairs at Galloo, in front of these several meters high energy equipment.
This Belgian company, with family capital, specializes in the recycling of various streams, such as household equipment or end-of-life vehicles. In 2024, this company with 800 employees will process no less than 210,000 tons of waste. Among other things, this (increasing) flow of photovoltaic panels is provided by the French environmental organization Soren. It is the only building authorized by the French State to collect and recycle this symbol of the energy revolution.
