Federal Labor Seeks Administrator for National Solar Panel Recycling Pilot
The federal government has officially begun the search for a suitable partner to oversee the National Solar Panel Recycling Pilot, a crucial initial move towards establishing a mandatory scheme aimed at managing solar module waste across Australia.
Back in January, the Albanese government announced a $24.7 million pilot programme intended to set up to 100 collection sites nationwide. This initiative addresses the pressing issue of discarded rooftop solar panels, as well as future challenges related to household batteries.
Testing Collection and Recycling
This pilot, which plans to collect and recycle up to 250,000 solar panels over a 12 to 18-month period commencing mid-year, is set to explore the practicality of collecting, reusing, and recycling solar panels from various sources. This analysis will help shape a national stewardship scheme.
On Thursday, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) announced that an “Approach to Market” (ATM) procurement process is now open to find a pilot administrator who will report back to the Department on the pilot’s results and progress.
According to the announcement, “The pilot administrator, selected through an open procurement process, will manage the pilot.”
“They will engage suitable providers for collection and recycling services, compensating them according to their location, which is limited to the selected national pilot sites.”
“The pilot administrator will also invite businesses from the solar panel supply chain to get involved, and will coordinate the transport of panels from collection points to recycling facilities.”
The initiative aims to recycle panels not only from homes and businesses but also a few from solar farms, which will provide invaluable data for any future product stewardship scheme.
Gathering Data for the Future
The primary aim is to gather solid, real-world data on the costs and effectiveness of collection and recycling methods, while also evaluating industry readiness and establishing vital frameworks.
Currently, only 17% of Australia’s discarded rooftop solar panels are recycled, with many ending up in landfills and a concerning number thought to be stashed away in suburban gardens, neglected and forgotten.
For almost a decade, the Smart Energy Council has been tirelessly advocating for measures to tackle recycling, even presenting a comprehensive proposal for a national stewardship scheme to the previous federal Coalition government.
As thousands of older residential and commercial rooftop solar systems are being upgraded across the country, and with the market for exporting usable but decommissioned panels dwindling, there is an urgent need for a national circular economy approach.
This isn’t solely about responsible waste management; it’s also about crucial resource recovery. Darren Johannesen, head of sustainability at the SEC and a pivotal advocate for a mandatory national programme, believes that recycling, or “urban mining,” can help alleviate forecasted shortages of essential materials like copper.
“The establishment of a national stewardship scheme, which we expect will arise from the pilot, will spark a boom in urban mining and a fresh wave of smart energy investment fostering job creation and economic growth,” Johannesen stated in January.
Details on the Procurement Process
The DCCEEW’s ATM process for the National Solar Panel Recycling Pilot will feature an industry briefing on April 9. Interested parties can request to attend by email, while the tender is accessible via AusTender. Proposals for the pilot administrator are due by the close of business on Friday, April 24.
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