30. April 2019, Spiegel.de: Solar Photo Voltaic (PC) panels of the first generation, i.e. 20 years old, have (often?) lost their efficiency and can be recycled. It is in a process, called Pyrolyse: As in an oven without Oxygen but with high pressure the silizium (silicon) can be separated from the metals and can be reused, i.e. recycled. This has to be done if only one or two of the cells in the system of the PV panels doe not work by having been damaged etc. It is possible to simply repair the damaged cell, however it is not reasonable! More over the markets are floaded with cheap panels from Asia, thus to repair some cells means far too high costs compared with buying new stuff. https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/technik/solaranlage-wohin-mit-den-solarzellen-der-ersten-generation-a-1259061.html