Obtaining cullet from thin film solar modules

Abstract

A method of obtaining cullet from a solar module unit is disclosed. The method involves providing a solar module unit in which a detectable tagging material has been applied onto an exposed outer surface of a glass substrate of the solar module unit over one or more electrically conductive contact strips located beneath and visible through the glass substrate. Thereafter, the solar module unit is crushed into assorted module pieces. The assorted module pieces are then sorted by detecting module pieces that include the detectable tagging material and separating the assorted module pieces into a collection of accepted module pieces and a collection of rejected module pieces. The collection of accepted module pieces has module pieces determined not to include the detectable tagging material. Recycled glass is then obtained from the collection of accepted module pieces.