Recent years have seen a worldwide boom in solar panels’ popularity – both on domestic rooftops and in purpose-built solar farms.
Each solar panel is capable of creating more than 2kWh of energy each day, according to the Federation of Master Builders, and even more in sunny countries. Australia is a fine example of how effective solar panels can be in contributing renewable energy to the national grid. Indeed, Australia has been at the forefront of solar energy technologies in recent years.
But solar panels have a shelf life, and Australia is now facing a new issue: how should they dispose of solar panels which are no longer functional?
How big a problem is this?
Australia is expected to have an enormous 685,000 tonnes of unusable solar panels by the end of 2030. Beyond 2030, this figure could rise considerably once solar panels from large-scale solar farms reach the end of their useful life.
Of course, recycling the panels would be a good solution, but unfortunately, it is both costly and slow. Presently, it costs around AUD$10 to strip a solar panel of its components – copper, aluminium and other parts. Sending panels to landfills is considerably cheaper but negates many of the solar panels’ intended climate change contributions.
Fortunately, large recycling plants are beginning to open. With valuable materials inside each panel being wasted, there’s huge potential for lucrative recycling if the technology to do so can be sped up.
Benefits of Solar Panels
Solar panels are having a considerable impact on world leaders’ aims to be net zero. They are increasingly popular with the general public as more and more people realise the effect they can have on reducing household energy bills. If you are interested in having them fitted, a specialist such as /gsmlimited.com/services/solar-panels/cheltenham can provide tailored advice on fitting solar panels Cheltenham for you.
While the disposal of solar panels is clearly a problem, it is still thought that the many benefits of solar power outweigh the cons at this time.
