Australia has one of the highest rates of solar panel installations per capita in the world, meaning a rapidly growing volume of panels will reach end of life in coming years. Currently, most of these panels end up in landfill due to the high cost and complexity of recycling. Mobile recycling units, vehicles that travel to where panels are located and process them on site, offer a promising alternative to expensive centralised recycling plants. This project offers the opportunity to join a small team of researchers and industry collaborators working on sustainable solar energy solutions. Working closely with a supervising researcher, the student will investigate the high level environmental benefits (such as reduced carbon emissions and landfill diversion) and economic savings (such as lower transport costs and recovered material value) that mobile recycling could deliver compared to conventional approaches. The aim is to build a clear, evidence based picture of the real world value of deploying mobile recycling technology across Australia, to support future policy and investment decisions.
School
Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering
Research Area
Circular economy | Renewable energy | Sustainability | Environmental impact assessment | Techno economic analysis
Suitable for recognition of Work Integrated Learning (industrial training)?
No
- Research environment
- Expected outcomes
- Supervisory team
- Reference material/links
The student will work within a small, collaborative research group focused on solar photovoltaic (PV) sustainability and end of life management. The team includes academic researchers with expertise in PV technology, life cycle assessment, and energy policy, as well as engagement with an international industry partner (Korean SME Wonkwang S&T) with hands on mobile recycling technology experience. The student will have access to published data, industry reports, and guidance from the supervisory team throughout the project.
By the end of the 3 month project, the student is expected to deliver:
- A concise report quantifying the estimated environmental savings (e.g. CO₂ avoided, tonnes diverted from landfill) from mobile PV recycling at a national scale.
- A basic techno economic analysis comparing the cost of mobile recycling versus conventional centralised recycling, including transport cost savings.
- A one page summary suitable for sharing with policymakers or industry stakeholders.
The work will directly inform the team's ongoing research and future grant activities. He or she will have an opportunity to learn opensource software like OpenLCA.
- ACAP, Scoping Study Solar Panel End of Life Management in Australia (2024): https://www.acap.net.au
- UNSW School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering: https://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/energy-engineering
- Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR): https://www.wmrr.asn.au
- International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), End of Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels: https://www.irena.org/publications/2016/Jun/End-of-life-management-Solar-Photovoltaic-Panels