New South Wales invests AUD$10m to slash landfilling of solar and battery systems

The scheme aims to futureproof the region’s waste management against the growing stream of old renewable projects

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has created an AUD$10 million (£5.4m) fund to reduce the landfilling of solar panels and battery systems.

The investment aims to help NSW transition to renewable energy sources within a circular economy.

The government is now inviting Expressions of Interest for grants to run trial projects, the development of which will be based on the increased collection, reuse and recycling of solar and battery systems.

NSW is forecast to generate between 3,000 and 10,000 tonnes every year of waste solar PV panels and battery storage systems by 2025 – this could rise by between 40,000 and 71,000 tonnes per year by 2035, according to government data.

The projects will test the commercial and logistical feasibility of collecting and aggregating such energy equipment for recycling and reuse.

Applications for projects exploring whole-of-supply-chain approaches to collecting, reusing and recycling can be submitted until 17th September.

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