4th June, 2026
The Smart Energy Council (SEC) congratulates the Cook Government for stepping up on solar sustainability, through its $17.8m circular economy commitment.
The funding will help build the state’s capacity to recycle solar panels and batteries, ensuring their embedded precious materials can be recovered and reused.
“We congratulate the Cook Government for this clear commitment to ensuring that solar is genuinely sustainable,” said Smart Energy Council WA State Manager John Welch.
“This is core work for the Smart Energy Council, ensuring that renewable energy generation sources like solar, batteries and wind, are also truly sustainable,” he said.
“Solar and batteries are delivering the cheapest form of energy to Western Australian homes and businesses. Ensuring they’re recycled and remade should be the consumer and industry benchmark.”
“WA’s leadership in metals refining means adding urban mining to this nation-leading skill set makes sense”.
Development of WA’s solar and battery recycling infrastructure is timely, as the Federal Government prepares for the launch of its National Solar Panel Recycling Pilot.
“The SEC has been deeply engaged with both state and federal governments on the issue of solar recycling, including here in WA. We look forward to working together on making this program a lasting success,” Mr Welch said.
The SEC’s Program Director – Stewardship Pilot, Darren Johannesen, said it makes sense for WA to establish its own foundations for a solar and battery recycling industry.
“Setting up a solar recycling industry in WA has to factor in its large land mass, which will influence key costs like freight. Alongside that, there are many off-grid solar systems, including at mine sites,” he said.
“That presents challenges and opportunities, all which can be overcome, but do require a bespoke design that’s fit for purpose in WA.”
“Recovery of solar PV panels represents a more than $7 billion opportunity to bolster the nation’s critical mineral resource security.”
“Solar panels are not a waste problem, rather a critical resource.”
“They contain precious materials like silver, copper, aluminium, silicon and high grade glass, commodities critical to our clean energy shift.”
“The IEA is predicting a 30% shortfall in the supply of copper from primary sources by 2035, urban mining provides the key solution to this looming supply problem.”
The announcement follows a decade of SEC advocacy on the issue, with over 60 organisations signing a joint statement calling for a national scheme in September, 2025. The national pilot is also expected to build on learnings from the Smart Energy Council’s solar panel recycling pilot conducted over 2024/25 in Queensland, with support from the state government.
“Backing for a circular economy by the WA Environment Minister and the Minister for Energy is testament to the Cook government’s commitment to decarbonisation of our energy sector and the development of smart energy technologies,” Mr Welch said.
“We look forward to helping accelerate that shift, and making WA a renewable energy and critical minerals superpower.”
-ENDS-
Media contact: Tim Lamacraft – tim@smartenergy.org.au – 0448 972 192
