The Queensland Government, in partnership with the Smart Energy Council, has launched Australia’s leading solar panel recycling, reuse, and recovery pilot. The Solar Panel Stewardship program will implement solar panel recycling across the state, aiming to improve industry engagement with communities and establish better practices in the renewable energy sector.
The pilot includes six solar panel collection sites in Capalaba and North Lakes in greater Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, and Townsville, with a total of 15 locations to be announced soon. The program is designed to assess the feasibility of collecting, reusing, and recycling solar panels from homes, businesses, and solar farms, thereby reducing landfills.
The initiative will guide the creation of a national stewardship scheme and includes two regional ‘legacy runs’ to collect household panels, involving local councils, installers, and importers with stockpiles. Participating firms include Rexel, Resolarcycle, and Solar Shift.