Australian researchers bag funding to investigate reusing unwanted solar panels

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Solar panels installed on roofs in South Australia. Image: CSIRO.

Grant funding has been awarded to a project in Australia that will explore the potential revenue streams and consumer interest in used solar PV panels.

A team from the University of Queensland will look to identify market or policy barriers to reusing, repurposing and recycling panels after securing AU$42,869 (US$29,478) in funding from Energy Consumers Australia, which represents residential and small business energy consumers.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The project also aims to identify opportunities to use a circular economy for panels to better include consumers who can’t currently access solar because of financial constraints.   

There is “massive potential” if a circular economy for solar panels can be unlocked, said Energy Consumers Australia CEO Lynne Gallagher.

“This will not only reduce waste, but it is also potentially a way for those who cannot afford the cost of new solar PV equipment to generate their own energy at a more reasonable cost.”  

According to Energy Consumers Australia, recovering discarded solar panels to reuse, repurpose or recycle is a billion-dollar opportunity, but many panels are replaced well before their useful life as cheaper and more efficient models come onto the market. 

The organisation said that as well as the negative environmental consequences, this leads to a “significant missed opportunity” to provide access to PV to consumers not currently able to, as well as cost savings to existing PV owners, through panel reclaiming and repurposing.   

To date, global solar panel recycling efforts have been sporadic, with some proactive manufacturers taking charge, according to Emilie Oxel O’Leary, CEO of Green Clean Solar, a US company focusing on the removal and disposal of waste materials and recyclable materials from PV plants.

Writing in a feature article, published in the latest edition of PV Tech Power, she said: “We are witnessing a transition toward a circular solar economy thanks to varying degrees of effort and action.”

The University of Queensland project was among the six recipients of more than AU$429,000 in grant funding from Energy Consumers Australia, with other beneficiaries focusing on areas including measures to promote energy-efficient housing, among others.

Read Next

October 8, 2025
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has granted planning approval for Potentia Energy's 500MW Tallawang solar-plus-storage project.
Premium
October 8, 2025
PV Talk: Smart Energy Council's Nigel Morris reflects on how Australia has become a global testbed for distributed solar and storage innovation.
October 8, 2025
University of Sydney scientists have created the largest and most efficient triple-junction perovskite-perovskite-silicon solar cell on record.
October 8, 2025
Australia's NEM achieved a new minimum operational demand record of 9,666MW, marking a 4% decrease from the previous record.
October 8, 2025
Frontier Energy plans to expand its Waroona Renewable Energy Project into a renewable energy precinct by 2031, targeting up to 1GW solar.
October 7, 2025
Rystad Energy has said that Queensland’s utility-solar assets were the best-performing solar PV power plants in September 2025.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK