This master thesis provides an overview of the recycling processes for photovoltaic modules in Austria and Europe. Information about existing recycling methods and operating plants have been studied and the recyclability of the components used in photovoltaic modules was examined. For this purpose, the design of a photovoltaic module and the requirements for the individual components were researched. Furthermore, the installed capacity in Austria was researched and the amount and timeframe of the expected end-of-life panels were calculated over the lifetime. The end-of-life state of the photovoltaic module can vary widely, including delamination, junction box failure, Si-cell cracking, discoloration of the encapsulant, degradation of the backsheet, and burn marks. To determine the end-of-life state, methods such as visual inspection, stationary-state thermography, pulse thermography and lock-in thermography, electroluminescence, signal transmission or Raman spectroscopy are available. Furthermore, initial tests on the material behaviour in the laboratory were carried out using a hot plate and a drying oven.