A photovoltaic reuse initiative in Kassel, Germany, has repurposed 300 used solar modules to create 150 balcony PV systems.

The panels, which had operated for 13 years on the roof of an industrial building, were inspected, refurbished and distributed to participants in an upcycling project organized by ClimateHub Kassel and solar collective SoLocal Energy.

The project began with inspections of the 300 recovered modules. Twelve panels showed minor defects and were discarded, while the remaining modules were cleaned and fitted with new connectors for use in balcony PV systems. The recovered modules represent around 6 metric tons of material that would otherwise have entered recycling streams, where only certain material fractions can be recovered.

The organizers introduced a tiered pricing model to make the systems accessible to households with different budgets. Complete packages include modules, an inverter, mounting equipment, cabling and accessories, as well as electrical connection, system registration and monitoring setup.

A system comprising two 325 W CSW Excellent modules, for a total capacity of 650 W, costs €825 ($937) under the subsidized tariff, €1,000 at the standard rate and €1,175 under the solidarity tariff. A single-module system costs €650, €775 and €900, respectively. A four-module configuration using CSW Diamond panels has a combined capacity of 1.78 kW and costs €2,025 under the highest pricing tier specified by the organizers.

Participants can also collect the equipment and install the systems themselves. Two-module systems are supplied with a Hoymiles HMS-800W-2T microinverter. Three- and four-module systems use either two SUN-M80 units or one Hoymiles HMS-1600-4WB inverter, with dynamic power control limiting total output to 800 W.

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