The federal government's $1billion investment in the development of an Australian-based solar panel manufacturing industry will be complemented with a corresponding push to recycle the products at the end of its lifespan.
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The need for a domestic solar panel recycling industry has been growing exponentially in recent years as a result of the rooftop solar boom.
But for all the clean energy being produced, 87 per cent of Australia's solar photovoltaic waste is not recycled.
The technology is now Australia's fastest-growing electronic waste stream.
"We're going to be making a lot more of these (solar and battery) products thanks to our $1 billion investment to kick start solar panel manufacturing," Science and industry minister Ed Husic said.
"If we can make it, we should aim to recycle it and that can create great jobs at both ends."
The federal government has invested millions of dollars into collaborations between leading Australian researchers and recycling startups to help bring renewables into the circular economy.
These investments will help commercialise technologies that will help cut down or eliminate landfill from solar panels and batteries.
The global rooftop solar recycling market alone is estimated to be worth $4 billion by 2030 and $120 billion by 2050.
Mr Husic said there was also huge potential to create valuable new industries with secure, high paying jobs.
"We have world-leading recycling know-how in our unis and fantastic circular economy start-ups popping up in our industrial estates," Mr Husic said.
"This money is about marrying them up so we keep that know-how and those jobs right here instead of going offshore like we've seen with other great Aussie ideas.
"It's the ultimate triple whammy, saving on landfill, good for jobs and good for getting cheap, clean power into homes and businesses."
Prime Minister Albanese said on Thursday that the development of a circular economy was key component of the government's Net Zero policy.
"We see huge opportunities for Australia in advancing through the circular economy... one of the reasons why net zero is not negotiable is because it is necessary; global markets will look at the nature of production and those issues (recycling) as well.
"We will have more to say on the circular economy both in the lead-up to the budget and beyond."
Speaking in late 2022, Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she was deeply concerned about the potential environmental impacts of non-recycled e-waste .
"We've got about a quarter of a million tonnes of waste going into landfill. It's not just the products that should be recaptured from those solar panels. It's also the potential for toxic materials to leach into the soil and potentially into water," she said.
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Solar panel recycling research:
PV Industries ($3m):
- In collaboration with UNSW, this money will use innovative machine learning techniques to extend the life of solar panels by identifying and rectifying faults. The collaboration will also use cutting edge technologies to create high volume-extraction process for glass and other raw materials from faulty panels.
KGM Services ($1.2m):
- Wagga Wagga based KGM services is being funded to expand their patented separation technology to find more ways to isolate solar panel componentry so it can be recycled.
Oxleigh ($2.8m):
- This investment will enable Oxleigh, in partnership with UNSW, to do further work on novel "black mass" lithium-ion battery recycling technology with high commercial potential. The process aims to convert end-of-life battery materials into precursor materials that can be used to make new batteries.
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
