UK firm to supply argon recycling technology to 2 GW Mundra solar facility

Gas Recovery and Recycle Ltd (GR2L), a small cleantech firm in Surrey, UK, has secured a £4 million order to supply its argon recycling technology to Mundra Solar’s projected 2 GW solar facility in India.

Solar panel makers use argon gas to purify silicon crystals which are then used in solar cells. This process requires vast amounts of argon, with some producers needing to ship in multiple tankers of the gas each day.

GR2L has developed a closed-loop, argon purge gas recovery and purification system, the ArgonØ, to recycle the high-purity argon purge gas used in the fabrication of silicon wafers for solar PV applications.

GR2L claims its ArgonØ machinery to be a world first that allows solar cell production – as well as other advanced manufacturing activities like microelectronics production, 3D metals printing, and aerospace heat treatments – instead to recycle up to 95% of argon used. The technology helps solar manufacturers to cut waste, emissions and costs.

Rob Grant, CEO and founder of GR2L, said, “With production of brand-new argon creating up to a tonne of carbon dioxide for every tonne of argon, our cutting-edge gas recycling technology helps solar facilities reduce their scope 3 CO2 emissions and produce solar fuel cells more efficiently.”