Australia has installed over 3.5 million rooftop solar systems. The average panel lifespan is 25-30 years, which means the first big wave of end-of-life panels is starting to arrive. By 2035, we’ll be dealing with tens of thousands of tonnes of decommissioned panels annually.

Are we ready? Not really. But we’re getting there, slowly.

The scale of the challenge

A standard solar panel weighs about 20kg. A typical 6.6kW residential system has 15-18 panels, or roughly 300-360kg of material. Multiply that by millions of systems, and Australia is looking at an estimated 100,000+ tonnes of solar panel waste by 2035.

Most of this material is recyclable: glass (about 70% by weight), aluminium frame (about 15%), silicon cells (about 5%), and copper wiring (about 1%). The remaining few percent includes the EVA encapsulant, backsheet material, and small amounts of lead, tin, and silver.

The challenge isn’t that the materials can’t be recycled — it’s that the economics of recycling are marginal, the infrastructure is limited, and the regulatory framework is still catching up.

Current recycling capacity

Several companies now operate solar panel recycling facilities in Australia:

Reclaim PV Recycling (SA): One of the first dedicated solar recycling operations in Australia. They can process panels into raw material streams (glass, aluminium, silicon) for reuse.

Lotus Energy (VIC): Offers panel collection and recycling services, working with installers and councils to divert panels from landfill.

SolaCycle (NSW): Focuses on high-value recovery, extracting silicon, silver, and copper from decommissioned panels.

Various e-waste recyclers also accept solar panels, though their processing capabilities vary.

Combined capacity is growing but still well below what will be needed by 2030. Current facilities can handle thousands of tonnes per year; the industry will need to scale to handle tens of thousands.

The regulatory landscape

Victoria banned solar panels from landfill in 2024, making it the first state to mandate recycling. Other states are expected to follow, though timelines are unclear.

The federal government has flagged solar panels as a priority product under the Product Stewardship Act, which could lead to a mandatory product stewardship scheme. Under such a scheme, panel manufacturers and importers would be responsible for end-of-life management, likely through a levy built into the purchase price.

This is the model that works best — it funds recycling at the point of sale rather than burdening consumers with disposal costs later. Europe already operates a similar scheme under the WEEE Directive, and it’s been reasonably effective.

What happens if we get it wrong

The worst-case scenario is solar panels ending up in landfill. While they’re not classified as hazardous waste (the lead content is minimal), they represent a massive waste of recoverable materials and a missed opportunity for the circular economy.

Illegal dumping is also a concern. If disposal costs are high and regulations are unclear, some operators will take shortcuts. This has already been seen with other e-waste streams in Australia.

What solar owners should do now

If you’re decommissioning panels (because of a system upgrade, roof replacement, or end of life):

1. Contact your installer. Many installers now offer take-back services and will send old panels to recyclers.
2. Check your local council. Some councils have solar panel collection events or designated drop-off points.
3. Don’t put them in general waste. Even where it’s not yet illegal, it’s irresponsible.
4. If panels are still working, consider donating them to community organisations or selling them on secondary markets. A 15-year-old panel at 85% output still has useful life.

My view

The solar industry has been brilliant at installation and terrible at end-of-life planning. We’ve installed millions of systems with barely a thought about what happens when they’re done. That needs to change, and it needs to change before the wave of waste arrives.

A mandatory product stewardship scheme with a small levy (perhaps $10-20 per panel at point of sale) would fund adequate recycling infrastructure and ensure that solar remains a genuinely clean energy source from cradle to grave. The industry should be leading this conversation, not waiting for regulators to force it.

Solar panels are one of the best environmental investments a household can make. Let’s make sure the end of their life is as responsible as the beginning.