Myth: Solar panels and batteries cannot be disposed of safely

Won’t the disposal of solar panels and batteries make them an uneconomic and dangerous proposition?

Fact:

Solar panels are easy to recycle, as they are 76 percent glass, 10 percent plastic, 8 percent aluminium, 5 percent silicon and 1 percent copper. Other metals make up just 0.1 percent of the total. 

A lithium Iron Phosphate (LNP) battery is 15-20 percent iron, 12-15 percent phosphorus, 10-15 percent carbon, 5-10 percent aluminium, 5-10 percent copper and 3-4 percent lithium. The rest of the battery is made up of plastics and electrolytes. All of these minerals and polymers can be recycled. 

That said, it’s always easier to dispose of panels and batteries by putting them in landfill, so tough government legislation will be required to prevent this from happening. 

As for the economics of disposal, the cost of having a solar panel recycled in Australia is about $20 (US$14) in 2026. The cost of recycling a home battery is between $300 and $500 – or about the same as recycling 20 solar panels. In addition, it is estimated that the global value of recyclable materials from solar PV panels will be $US2.7 billion a year by 2030 and a $US80 billion a year by 2050. Battery materials will be worth $6 a year by 2030 and a vast amount more by 2050. 

Hence, disposal will not be a significant issue.