Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence reposted this
We are proud to be leading two important projects with support from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) with $3.3m in funding!
What happens to solar panels when they reach the end of their life? Our Circular Solar Program has paved the way to help solve NSW’s emerging solar waste challenge. Through this program, we’ve proudly supported innovative projects by The Blue Tribe Company and PV Industries, empowering them to scale up groundbreaking solutions and divert valuable materials out of landfill. - Blue Tribe: Second Life Solar Leading the way for solar panel reuse, they’ve transformed how we view decommissioned solar panels by giving them a second life partnering with CSIRO, Solar Professionals for their project: ✅ Developed a mobile testing methodology (PV Rapid Triage Test Rig) to identify reusable panels. ✅ Tested approx four tonnes of decommissioned solar panels and found 89% to be fully functional. ✅ Constructed approx 100kW solar system using reclaimed panels, delivering comparable energy outputs to a new system. ✅ Advocated for change to international standards to reuse solar panels effectively. 🎉 Blue Tribe has also partnered with QLD’s solar panel product stewardship trial, extending the reuse model to a new state. - PV Industries: Advanced Solar Panel Recycling They’re setting new standards in solar panel recycling, with key achievements including: ✅ Constructing a high-capacity facility processing up to 300,000 panels annually. ✅ Cutting-edge deframing and deglassing technology recovering 90% of materials. ✅ Expanding logistic networks across metro and regional NSW for collecting solar panels ✅ Testing end-markets for recovered solar panel glass in construction applications 🏆 Winning the Innovation Pitch Award at Circularity, Australia's premier annual circular economy event. Together, these projects highlight our commitment to driving a circular economy for solar panels. By funding innovation, we’re reducing landfill, reclaiming valuable resources, and paving the way for a more sustainable future. 👉 Learn more about the Circular Solar Program and other funded projects - https://lnkd.in/gpeCNRya #ProtectTomorrowTogether #CircularEconomy #SolarRecycling #Innovation
