Turning Solar Waste into Value

One in three Australian homes have rooftop solar, with adoption projected to reach one in two by 2030. With a typical 30-year lifespan, that means there are potentially millions of panels that will need to be replaced or disposed of in the coming years.

PV Industries’ Sydney facility, backed by the NSW EPA’s Circular Solar Grant Program, is turning this challenge into opportunity by recovering up to 90% of panel materials for reuse.

Powering Australia’s NSW Node recently visited their Bankstown site to see how local innovation is closing the loop on solar panel waste, transforming it into valuable feedstocks that can create new applications and employment opportunities.

Using Australian-developed technology, the facility processes 200,000 panels annually, successfully recovering up to 90% of materials including glass and aluminium. The extraction of critical minerals such as silver and copper is the next phase currently under research and development. The recovered glass is already being used in NSW road infrastructure a practical example of how-to re-use valuable materials, reduce landfill and support local businesses.