China’s clean energy boom is saddled with a major challenge: what to do with all its old wind and solar equipment.
The country, which is the world leader in renewable energy capacity, has built solar and wind at a staggering pace. As of March 2025, China’s combined installed wind and solar capacity topped 1.48 billion kilowatts for the first time ever, surpassing thermal power.
But now the first wave of that buildout is aging out.
Wind turbines and solar panels are typically designed to last around 20 to 25 years. That means early projects are starting to be retired, and the volumes are huge. By 2050, decommissioned solar panels in China could total around 20 million tonnes. Retired wind turbine blades are expected to hit about 3 million tonnes by 2035.
That raises a big question: How do you recycle all of it?
China’s ‘last mile’ problem
State-owned China Energy Investment Corporation (CHN Energy), which says it has the world’s largest installed wind capacity, is trying to tackle what it calls the “last mile” of green energy – dealing with equipment at the end of its life.
Its total wind and solar capacity is close to 120 million kilowatts, or nearly 10% of China’s total.
After several years of development, CHN Energy launched a kiloton-scale solar module recycling demonstration line in October 2025. The facility was developed and built by its subsidiary, Longyuan Environmental Protection.
Longyuan Environmental Protection’s Zhangjiakou branch is expected to come online this year, with the capacity to process more than 10,000 tonnes of retired wind and solar equipment annually – that’s roughly the weight of 10,000 small cars.
Building a recycling ecosystem
Longyuan Environmental Protection has also established a recycling committee for retired wind and solar equipment within the China Association of Circular Economy. It has helped draft around 17 international, national, and industry standards tied to this growing sector.
The goal is to build a full life-cycle approach to clean energy – not just generating low-carbon electricity, but also making sure the equipment doesn’t become a long-term waste problem.
Hou Bo, deputy general manager of Longyuan Environmental Protection, said, “True green development lies in delivering green power while ultimately achieving a closed loop through comprehensive end-of-life solutions.”
Why it matters
China isn’t alone here. The global renewable buildout is accelerating, and every country faces the same issue as early projects age out.
Figuring out how to recycle solar panels and wind turbines at scale is critical for keeping clean energy truly clean.
It would be wise for countries and companies like CHN Energy to share best practices for recycling renewable waste.
Read more: China’s wind + solar revolution is shaking up the global energy game
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