With over 3.3 million homes in Australia having rooftop solar panels, the country is leading the world in its uptake of . However, as the oldest panels are now approaching their end-of-life, experts are anticipating large volumes of decommissioned panels within the next decade.
A team of researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has assessed the potential impact of this waste on the environment. According to their "conservative" forecasts, cumulative photovoltaic (PV) waste in Australia could reach 2 million to 3 million tons by 2050.

But rather than looming as a waste mountain, the team from the UNSW's School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering said end-of-life solar panels are a source of valuable materials such as silver, copper, and high purity silicon, glass, and aluminium which can be utilised in the manufacturing of new modules.

The paper shows that, when all scenarios and lifetime variations are considered, end-of-life panels could in just five years supply more than 30% of aluminium and silver PV demand.