A new research project led by Associate Professor Vipul Patel is helping solve the growing problem of solar panel waste.
“Most solar panels have a service life of around 25 to 30 years,” he explains. “After that, they usually end up in landfill, which is currently the cheapest disposal option. This waste includes valuable materials such as glass, silicon, plastics, aluminium, wiring and junction boxes.”
The project, funded by the Australia–India Strategic Research Fund, is exploring new and innovative ways to recycle these materials.
“Current recycling methods recover materials of low purity, meaning they are mixed with other materials, which can limit their use. While high-purity materials can be recovered, the process is expensive and difficult to scale.”
To address this, Associate Professor Patel and his team are investigating new ways to use the lower-purity materials from existing recycling methods.
“These materials could be used in construction products such as concrete, insulation panels, or other building materials instead of being sent to landfill,” he says.
“This would create a circular economy by keeping the materials in use for longer and reducing the demand for new materials in the construction industry.”
The next phase of the project will involve laboratory testing to assess the durability of products made using recycled solar panel materials.
The research team will also work with industry partners to investigate the economic feasibility of the proposed recycling process.
