5N Plus and Abound Solar Sign PV Module Recycling Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding for Raw Material Supply

5N Plus Inc., a developer and producer of high-purity metals and compounds for electronic applications and Abound Solar, Inc. (formerly AVA Solar), a manufacturer of low-cost, thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar modules, announced that they have entered into a PV module recycling agreement and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the supply of 5N Plus products.

Under the terms of the recycling agreement, 5N Plus will provide recycling services for solar modules and manufacturing scrap produced by Abound Solar.

The output of the 5N Plus recycling process will be recyclable glass and raw chemicals, ready to be processed into new finished products. Abound Solar has also signed an MOU for the supply of semiconductor compounds from 5N Plus, to be used to manufacture the company’s next-generation thin-film solar modules. The MOU is expected to lead to a long-term supply agreement for products from 5N Plus to Abound Solar.

“This recycling agreement with Abound Solar is in line with our strategy aimed at providing value to our customers as they develop product stewardship schemes and aim to optimize product life cycles,” stated Jacques L’Écuyer, 5N Plus president and CEO. “We intend to continue to invest in our new facility in Wisconsin to recycle Abound’s solar modules and expand our capabilities in this area. Our relationship with Abound is further strengthened by our memorandum of understanding and we are excited about the prospects of further developing our cadmium telluride and cadmium sulphide business.”

“Abound Solar modules are produced using the most environmentally-friendly production process in the industry. This extension of our relationship with 5N Plus will ensure that at end-of-life, our modules will be recycled in the most sustainable manner and secure a long-term supply for our raw materials,” said Tom Tiller, Abound Solar president and CEO, “5N Plus is a leading producer of semiconductor materials; their expertise will maximize recycling yields and create a true cradle-to-cradle solution for the materials used in our product.”