<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/digital-passports-could-give-old-solar-panels-new-life-rather-than-being-recycled/>
"Australia faces a serious electronic waste problem from ageing solar panels
but could avoid it by testing and certifying old technology for reuse, a study
has found.
While industry sources and governments would need to collaborate to allow their
redeployment, a proposed certification process and digital passports could
provide a solution.
Researchers at the University of South Australia proposed the changes in a
study published in the
Sustainability journal that investigated more than 63
publications on the issue.
The recommendations come after the Australian Energy Council predicted 280,000
tonnes of solar panels could reach the end of their use in 2025, and after
figures showed Australian households continued to embrace rooftop solar at
record levels.
The study, called
Certification for Solar Panel Reuse, investigated the
barriers and possibilities to reusing rather than recycling the technology.
“Recycling, although beneficial, emits more emissions due to the energy
necessary to break down and process the materials,” the research found.
“Reusing solar panels can help to further cut emissions by prolonging their
lifespan and lowering the need for new manufacturing.”
However, several barriers remained including the low and falling price of solar
technology, a lack of government incentives for panel reuse, and limited access
to testing.
“The large scale reuse of PV panels faces technical, economic and regulatory
barriers,” University of South Australia PhD student Ishika Chhillar said.
“Industry, government, academic and consumers all recognise that these barriers
can and must be overcome and that with the right frameworks in place Australia
can extend the life of its solar panels.”
One solution proposed would issue digital passports to decommissioned solar
panels, repair or refurbish them if needed, and issue gold, silver and bronze
certifications, based on their effectiveness.
Bronze-rated panels with less than 60 per cent efficiency could be recycled,
while those with gold and silver ratings could be deployed for household use or
community projects.
A national process for testing and rating panels could save money and
environmental waste, Ms Chhillar said.
“Currently, the lack of any standard certification for used panels means buyers
and installers have little to rely on besides a seller’s word but an official
certification process would change that,” she said.
“By bridging the trust gap, certification can transform reused panels from a
risky option into a transparent and standardised product category.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
