Queensland launches solar module recycling programme

The sites include Capalaba and North Lakes in greater Brisbane, along with the Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Toowoomba and Townsville. The Queensland government confirmed that 15 locations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Mick de Brenni, Queensland’s minister for energy and clean economy jobs, emphasised that Queensland is “leading the way in rooftop solar penetration”, and with the new recycling programme, will now “lead in the recycling of those systems” too.

“By turning old solar panels into valuable resources, Queensland is powering up the circular economy, helping to build jobs, innovation, and a cleaner future. This is nation-leading work, the Smart Energy Council and the Queensland government are fully committed to making the Sunshine State the leader in renewable recycling,” de Brenni added.

“Not only do solar panels make renewable energy, but now they’re renewable themselves.”

As previously reported by PV Tech, the initiative has been backed by almost AUS$5.5 million (US$3.53 million) in funding, provided as part of the Queensland government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund, alongside the Queensland Renewable Energy Industry Association Grant to deliver the end-of-life solar module recovery trial.

When the initiative was first announced in April, the government said it will collect information to help inform the development of a national product stewardship scheme and identify any gaps in Queensland’s recovery and processing capacities.

John Grimes, chief executive of the Smart Energy Council, said the programme will be of national interest and that module recycling will be a critical part of mitigating future material limits on copper and silver.

“The Queensland Solar Stewardship Scheme has already triggered a massive growth of investment in the recovery and recycling of solar modules. More than five recycling companies have already indicated they’ll be entering the market in Queensland,” Grimes said.

“Queensland is rapidly becoming a national circular economy hotspot, attracting millions of dollars of investment.”

Solar module recycling in Australia

Given Australia’s strong solar creditials and anticipated growth in the coming years and decades, it is crucial to establish module recycling facilities across the country. This will help maintain a circular economy and safeguard against rare material shortages, such as copper and silver.

Indeed, highlighting the extent of the issue, Enel Green Power Australia, a joint venture co-owned by Enel Green Power and INPEX Renewable Energy Australia, revealed that around 1.4 million solar PV modules will reach their end-of-life in 2025 across Australia, highlighting the urgency for recycling initiatives.

These issues were further highlighted by Australian module manufacturer Tindo Solar’s CEO, Richard Petterson, who exclusively told PV Tech that if Australia installed around 1TW of solar modules in around 25 years just to keep the assets running, the nation would need to recycle around 40GW of modules each year.

Should the country be less ambitious and install 500GW, Petterson added that 20GW of modules will still need recycling each year.

The topic was also explored in a PV Tech Premium article released earlier this year. Here, it was highlighted that although previous forecasts had predicted that solar PV waste would not appear in Australia until after 2030, the problem had become “more immediate than previously anticipated” with waste volumes emerging in the next two to three years, particularly in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

It should be noted that the ongoing issues surrounding solar waste management have led to several notable deals being signed in recent months. For instance, Australian-based solar PV recycling company ElecSome has signed partnerships with Enel Green Power Australia and INPEX Renewable Energy Australia, as well as Australian energy major AGL Energy, to tackle solar module recycling.