A broad coalition of 60 peak industry, business, unions, local governments, community and environmental groups are calling on the Australian government to establish a mandatory product stewardship scheme for solar PV in this parliamentary term.
The joint statement notes that Australia is an international solar success story, with the greatest penetration of household solar PV in the world. Yet there remains a fatal flaw that threatens to undermine the principles of this renewable energy revolution, which is ensuring that circular economy principles are embedded.
Smart Energy Council Chief Executive John Grimes says that of the millions of solar panels being decommissioned each year, less than five per cent are recycled.
“Not because we don’t know how – we can recover more than 95 per cent of the precious resources in modules – but because consecutive governments have failed to act on delivering a sustainable stewardship ecosystem, including design, reuse, recycling, and remanufacture,” he said.
“There is an escalating solar PV panel waste crisis looming, with serious environmental and social impacts set to follow. Panel decommissionings are set to double, and a recycling industry that has invested heavily on the promise of a national product stewardship scheme will stagnate and decline, with associated job losses, after a decade of policy inaction.”
“Time is up, and Australia’s renewable energy sector stands ready to act. This is a resource solution, rather than a waste problem.”
Australia needs a national mandatory product stewardship scheme for solar PV panels now to capitalise on the productivity, economic, and social opportunities.
Through recovery of solar PV panels, Australia has a $6.5 billion opportunity to bolster the nation’s critical mineral resource security, while creating innovation, new domestic industries, manufacturing, and jobs. All fundamental principles to a ‘Future Made in Australia’, and our net zero commitments.
“Our broad coalition representing industry, business, unions, local governments, community and environmental groups urges the Australian government to establish a mandatory product stewardship scheme for solar PV within this parliamentary term,” Mr Grimes said.
“We also call on the Government to roll out a funded pilot program in the interim, which would serve to inform scheme design, attract capacity-building investment, and ensure its success.”
Media contact: Tim Lamacraft – tim@smartenergy.org.au – 0448 972 192
