Shanshui Heavy Industry Renews PV Recycling Cooperation with Slovakia, Technological Iteration Leads New Benchmark for the EU's Circular Economy

Following its first export in 2024, Henan Shanshui Heavy Industry Technology Co., Ltd. recently shipped another shipment of Solar Panel recycling equipment to Slovakia via the China-Europe Railway Express, marking the deep penetration of Chinese PV recycling equipment into the EU market.

Policies Drive Slovakia's Explosive Market
As the EU's eastern gateway, Slovakia's installed PV capacity exceeded 1 GW in 2024, with an expected 300 MW addition in 2025, corresponding to over 40,000 tons of retired modules annually. The equipment purchaser, Slovak State Energy (SE), plans to build a regional recycling hub in Bratislava with an annual processing capacity of 200,000 tons. The project has received an additional €18 million in funding from the EU's Horizon Europe program.  SE Chief Technology Officer Peter Kovacs said, "The containerized modular design of Shanshui Heavy Industry's equipment enabled us to complete the entire process from contract signing to production in just two months, a 70% reduction compared to traditional infrastructure models."

China and Europe Collaborate to Build a Zero-Carbon Closed Loop
This collaboration innovatively integrates the blockchain traceability system with the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The equipment's real-time material recycling data can be directly generated into carbon footprint reports, helping Slovak companies comply with EU carbon tariff verification. It is estimated that once the project is operational, it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 28,000 tons annually, equivalent to planting 1.5 million fir trees. The 3 tons of recycled silver and 12,000 tons of recycled aluminum will generate €28 million in economic benefits at current market prices, a 40% increase compared to previous projects.

A New Paradigm for Global Industrial Upgrading
Shanshui Heavy Industry's "equipment + technology + standards" export model in Slovakia is being emulated in countries such as Hungary and Poland.  The Sino-European Photovoltaic Circular Economy Research Institute, jointly established with the Slovak University of Technology, has trained a local technical team of 120 and completed 17 process improvement patents. A recent report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) indicates that the global photovoltaic recycling equipment market will reach US$22 billion in 2025, with Chinese companies expected to capture over 65% of the market share thanks to cost advantages and technological advancements.

With the implementation of national standards such as the "General Technical Requirements for Photovoltaic Module Recycling," Shanshui Heavy Industry is driving China's transformation from a major photovoltaic manufacturing nation to a leading circular economy player. This second collaboration on the Slovak project not only consolidates Shanshui's first-mover advantage in the EU market but also provides a Chinese solution for the global energy transition: "technology export + model innovation."