University of South Australia (UniSA) researchers have identified ways to extend the life of solar panels and decrease the overall footprint of solar energy.
Ishika Chhillar, PhD student at UniSA led a study into key barriers to the sustainable reuse of solar panels and developed a mitigation strategy for what would be needed to accomplish a circular economy in the solar sector.
Her findings suggest that recycling panels is not enough with most significant volumes of end-of-life panels still ending up in landfill.
“The large-scale reuse of PV panels faces technical, economic and regulatory barriers,” said Chhillar.
“There are many key challenges including the low cost of new panels undercutting the resale PV panel market, a lack of incentives for reuse of the panels, different policies for reuse across states, lack of liability for second-hand installations and a limited infrastructure for testing and refurbishing of used panels.”
Chhillar said with the right frameworks in place, Australia can extend the life of its solar panels with true environmental and social benefits in the process.
Australia leads the world in per-capita rooftop solar installations, the systems of which typically have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years but in practice are removed or replaced much sooner.
The Australian Energy Council projects the cumulative volume of end-of-life solar panels to reach 280,000 tonnes by the end of the year.
One of the barriers to people accessing second-hand panels is the falling cost of new panels which undermines the resale market and leaves little financial incentive for consumers or businesses to choose to reuse.
Currently, no rebates or credits are in place for installing second-hand panels.
There is also no national reuse framework, with different Australian states and territories having inconsistent rules for panels that have reached the end of their life. No clear approval pathway or guidelines exist for re-selling and installing used panels, leaving installers wary of potential legal liabilities.
Chhillar said that without a unified, national approach to standards and liability, companies will continue to avoid second-hand products due to compliance risks.
“Currently, the lack of any standard certification for used panels means buyers and installers have little to rely on besides a seller’s word, but an official certification process would change that.
“A credible certification program should include standardised testing protocols for used panels.
“By bridging the trust gap, certification can transform reused panels from a risky option into a transparent and standardised product category.”
Chhillar said one option is certification being accompanied by a clear, consumer-friendly grading system such as a gold, silver or bronze classification or a star-rating label to indicate the remaining efficiency and expected lifespan of a panel.
“This would allow buyers to make informed decisions,” she said.
Sukhbir Sandhu, Associate Professor at UniSA, typically researches social and environmental sustainability issues. She said there is room for digital innovations for traceability, allowing for greater transparency on whether a panel is fit for reuse.
“If each solar panel’s history and performance data could be recorded in a database accessible to buyers and regulators, it would dramatically reduce uncertainty,” said Sandhu.
“Industry experts we spoke to for this study proposed solutions ranging from simple QR-code labels to block chain-based platforms that track a panel’s ‘digital passport’ throughout its life.
“This transparency would enable quicker decisions on whether a panel is fit for reuse, without requiring extra testing at each change of hands.”
For more information, visit: www.unisa.edu.au/
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