Australia has embraced solar energy faster than almost any country in the world.

Millions of rooftop and utility-scale solar panels have been installed across homes, farms and businesses over the past two decades.

Solar panels typically have a 20–30 year lifespan, which means large volumes of panels will soon begin reaching end-of-life.

Without scalable recycling solutions:

• panels may be stockpiled

• valuable materials are lost

• landfill volumes increase

• councils face rising disposal challenges

Australia needs industrial-scale recycling infrastructure to manage this emerging waste stream.

ARC Recycling is developing a mechanised solar panel recycling facility in South East Queensland designed to process large volumes efficiently and safely.

The facility will:

• Process 150,000+ solar panels per year

• Use mechanical recycling technology to maximise recovery

• Reduce manual dismantling and improve safety

• Recover valuable materials including glass, aluminium, silicon and metals

The project is being developed with international technology partners who already operate large-scale solar panel recycling facilities overseas, bringing proven capability to the Australian market.

Queensland has one of the highest solar adoption rates in Australia.

As early installations reach end-of-life, significant volumes of panels will require responsible recycling solutions.

Developing local recycling infrastructure helps:

• reduce landfill waste

• recover valuable materials

• support the circular economy

• strengthen Queensland’s recycling capability

The proposed SEQ facility will provide high-volume recycling capacity for end-of-life solar panels.

ARC Recycling is currently engaging with industry, government and local councils as we progress the development of the South East Queensland solar panel recycling facility.

As solar installations across Australia continue to grow, the number of panels reaching end-of-life will increase significantly over the coming years. Developing efficient collection, aggregation and recycling pathways will require collaboration across the solar, waste and recycling sectors.

ARC Recycling is seeking to work with organisations interested in helping establish a sustainable recycling pathway for end-of-life solar panels in Queensland.