Australian state backs battery recycling

The Western Australian (WA) government is investing AUD 17.8 million in its 2026-27 state budget to build capacity for recycling solar panels and embedded batteries.

The program will make a disposal pathway accessible to communities for recycling batteries found in eRideables and household devices.

Through the Remade in WA initiative, the funds will be divided three ways: AUD 13 million to establish end-of-life solar panel collection and recycling pathways, AUD 3 million to rollout embedded battery collection at local government facilities, and AUD 1.8 million to administer ongoing delivery of both programs.

Western Australia Energy and Decarbonisation and Manufacturing Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said more solar panels and batteries are coming into use every day and we need systems to manage them at end-of-life, reducing waste and supporting a circular economy.

“As WA moves towards becoming a global clean energy powerhouse, this investment will ensure we are prepared for the future,” Sanderson said.

The announcement was made at Cyber Recycling, the state’s first solar panel recycling facility located in Canning Vale, 23 km south of Perth. The facility is able to receive more than 2,500 end-of-life solar panels for recycling, supported by the E-waste Infrastructure Grants Program.

Energy allocations

Further energy and decarbonisation allocations handed down in the May 7 May state budget announcement included:

• AUD 24 milion to expand Munster TAFE to provide state-of-the-art facilities to support the delivery of training for renewables industries, including wind energy, battery technology, and electrification
• AUD 10.6 million for the Pilbara Development Commission to set up and operate the Clean Energy Training and Research Institute
• AUD 150 million for the Vanadium Battery Energy Storage System near Kalgoorlie to enhance reliability and support the region’s renewable energy future
• AUD 67.3 million in continued support for PoweringWA’s work facilitating the state’s energy transition
• AUD 30 million for a second round of the Investment Attraction Fund – New Energies Industries Funding Stream
• AUD 16 million for the Minerals Research Institute of WA to implement and administer a clean energy and emissions research program
• AUD 5 million more in the Schools Clean Energy Technology Fund to reduce schools’ energy costs and carbon emissions
• AUD 1.4 billion to the Clean Energy Fund for Clean Energy Link projects to unlock renewable energy opportunities
• AUD 85 million to support development of the green iron and steel industry, including AUD 75 million to support the NeoSmelt pilot project

National solar panel recycling pilot

On Jan. 16, the Australian government launched a AUD 24.7 million solar panel recycling pilot project seeking public feedback on a national plan to manage end-of-life solar panels and inform a product stewardship proposal for the government in the future.

The pilot aims to collect up to 250,000 panels from around 100 sites to gather national data on how to gather and recycle panels, including transport options.

From pv magazine Australia