Connecting business research with policy, practice and public debate
Connecting business research with policy, practice and public debate
0 comments | 3 shares
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Connecting business research with policy, practice and public debate
0 comments | 3 shares
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Australian households have embraced solar power. But when homeowners upgrade, they wrongly assume that their old panels will no longer work. So most are removed and sent to landfill, undermining the environmental benefits of reusable energy. Ishika Chhillar, Sukhbir Sandhu, Subhadarsini Parida and Peter Majweski show how reusing panels could cut waste and make solar power more accessible.
Australia has long been a global leader in solar energy. With one of the highest rates of rooftop solar installations, solar power has become a central part of the nation’s energy transition and shift toward sustainability. More than four million Australian homes (around 39 per cent of households) now have panels on their roofs. But while Australians have focused on generating clean energy, a new challenge is emerging: what to do with all the end-of-life solar panels being pulled off roofs.
Solar panels typically last 25 to 30 years. But many are replaced earlier, often because homeowners upgrade to newer and more efficient models. That means the first big wave of solar waste – installed about 16 years ago in the early 2010s – is arriving earlier than expected. The Australian Energy Council estimates that Australia will produce about 280,000 tonnes of solar panel waste by the end of 2025. And that number is rising quickly. An estimated 685,000 tonnes of panels will have to be retired by 2030. Although many Australians assume old solar panels are useless, most can still generate power for years.
Most discarded solar panels in Australia are currently sent to landfills or partial recycling facilities. While recycling is better than disposal, it is often not economically viable. In practice, recycling mainly recovers materials such as aluminium frames and glass, while other components such as plastics, silicon and toxic trace metals like lead, still end up in landfill. If Australia continues with a “take, make, dispose” approach to solar technology it will waste valuable resources and lose the climate benefits that clean energy was meant to provide.
Recycling alone does not solve the solar waste issue. Reusing old panels must be part of the solution.
While the scale of the waste problem is daunting, it also presents an opportunity. Reuse offers a way to extend the life of solar panels before they are shredded for materials. Reusing still-functional panels can defer the waste problem, buying time for recycling systems to expand and for panels to reach true end-of-life. It also extracts more value and energy from each manufactured panel, reducing the need for new materials and lowering environmental impact.
Despite these benefits, reuse has barely begun. Europe has policies requiring manufacturers to take back old panels for reuse or recycling. But Australia has no equivalent regulations yet. A national product stewardship scheme for solar panels is in development, but not yet operational. Several major barriers stand in the way before reuse can become mainstream.
If reusing solar panels makes so much sense, why are Australians not doing it already? Our research highlights that the main issue is economics. The price of new solar panels has dropped sharply and government rebates make them even cheaper. When new systems are affordable, more efficient and backed by warranties, there is little incentive to buy second-hand. Testing, transporting and reinstalling used panels adds additional costs.
Another barrier is the lack of national standards. Australia has no official certification process to prove that solar panels are safe. Without a national framework, installers do not know who is liable if something goes wrong and consumers cannot tell whether a used panel is reliable. Currently, there is no simple way to check the age, condition or power output of a second-hand panel, so for most people, reusing them feels risky.
Our research elaborates that a trusted certification system could change that. Much like certified pre-owned cars, reused panels could be tested, graded and sold with a clear record of their performance and remaining lifespan. A simple rating label (such as Gold, Silver, or Bronze) could signal quality at a glance, giving buyers and installers confidence that the panels meet safety and performance standards.
Digital tracking could strengthen this trust further. A QR code or “digital passport” on each panel could show its model, age, test results and installation history. Having that information easily accessible would make used panels feel far less uncertain and much more like verified, dependable products.
But for reuse to really take off, certification alone will not be enough. The government needs to back any scheme with supportive policies and incentives, such as rebates for certified reused panels or funding for regional testing hubs. The federal government’s upcoming product stewardship scheme for solar photovoltaic systems is a welcome step, but it will need to include reuse alongside recycling.
Certified reused panels could make solar energy more affordable for schools, community centres or households that cannot afford new systems. Demonstration projects could show that reuse is safe, cost-effective and good for the environment.
Australia’s solar success story does not have to end with a landfill full of old panels. With the right framework in place, the looming waste crisis can become an opportunity. Certification, traceability, supportive policies and community awareness could help Australia build a second-life solar industry that creates jobs, reduces waste, and keeps clean energy truly sustainable. Reuse is the next step in making renewable energy genuinely circular.
This article gives the views of the author, not the position of LSE Business Review or the London School of Economics. You are agreeing with our comment policy when you leave a comment. 
Image credit: Elias Bitar provided by Shutterstock.
Ishika Chhillar is a PhD candidate at Adelaide University's Centre for Workplace Excellence. Her research focuses on developing a certification framework for the reuse of solar photovoltaic panels. Her research involves qualitative research, including interviews with stakeholders across industry, government, academia and consumers, to identify enablers, barriers and opportunities in the transition from recycling toward reuse. Her work highlights how certification can build trust, reduce risk perceptions and foster market confidence in contested industries.
Sukhbir Sandhu is the Executive Director of the Centre for Workplace Excellence at Adelaide University. Her research focuses on social and environmental sustainability, examining how organisations respond to external sustainability pressures and implement internal strategic change. She has published widely in leading journals and received multiple international awards for research impact, leadership, and teaching excellence.
Subha Parida is a researcher at Adelaide University whose work examines sustainability across individual, organisational and stakeholder behaviours shaping the future of work, with a focus on the social and governance dimensions of ESG in the built environment. She has held research leadership roles at Curtin and Edith Cowan universities and works closely with government, industry and community organisations. Her research has been recognised with early career awards for teaching and research excellence.
Peter Majewski is an industry expert affiliated with Equals International and a former Research Professor at the University of South Australia’s Future Industries Institute. He holds a PhD in Mineralogy from Leibniz University of Hannover and has extensive experience in materials science, renewable energy and product stewardship. He has published over 180 journal articles and has held senior leadership and governance roles across academia and industry focused on sustainable technologies.
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