AGL and Elecsome Pty Ltd. have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to conduct a feasibility study to establish a solar panel recycling plant and a solar cable manufacturing facility at AGL’s Hunter Energy Hub Bayswater e-Recycling Precinct.
The feasibility study will focus on determining the engineering and infrastructure requirements and the key environmental and regulatory approvals needed for the development, construction, and operation of these facilities.
A Vision for Renewable Energy Integration
AGL’s General Manager, Energy Hubs, Travis Hughes, highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating, “Since the closure of Liddell Power Station one year ago, we have signed MOUs that could bring battery recycling with Renewable Metals and solar panel manufacturing with SunDrive to the Hunter Energy Hub. Today we add solar panel recycling and solar cable manufacturing to that list of partners.”
He further added,
“If successful, the establishment of a solar panel recycling plant and solar cable manufacturing plant with Elecsome will mean we are hosting several parts of the solar energy value chain with both manufacturing and recycling of grid-scale and residential solar panels at the Hunter Energy Hub.”
Pioneering Solar Panel Recycling in NSW
When developed, the recycling plant will be Elecsome’s first commercial-scale solar panel recycling facility in New South Wales, potentially upcycling up to 500,000 residential and grid-scale solar panels annually.
Elecsome has also developed a patented technology that repurposes the glass from solar panels, which constitutes over 70 per cent of their composition, into SolarCrete—a pre-mixed concrete suitable for construction activities such as driveways and footpaths. This innovative product will be part of the feasibility study at the Hunter site.
Elevating Resource Recovery and Onshore Manufacturing
Elecsome CEO, Neeraj Das, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating,
“We are thrilled to join the Hunter Energy Hub and contribute to the journey toward net zero, while also advancing resource recovery and onshore manufacturing.”
Elecsome has already successfully commissioned its first solar PV upcycling facility in Melbourne, where it transforms solar panels into new products used in the construction and manufacturing industries.
The proposed second stage of the recycling facility at the Hunter site will focus on extracting high-value materials from solar panels, such as silicon wafers for reuse in PV and battery-grade silicon, electric conductors for electrical appliances, and silver and copper for other industries. Aluminium frames will also be repurposed for cans and new solar PV frames.
Solar Cable Manufacturing for a Greener Future
The solar cable manufacturing plant is expected to produce up to 20,000 kilometres of solar cable annually, intended for use in residential and commercial solar installations, as well as utility-scale solar farms.
The new plants, if successful, are projected to create approximately 20 jobs during the two-year construction phase and about 50 jobs once fully operational.
A Circular Economy Vision
AGL’s vision for the Hunter Energy Hub is to create a low-carbon integrated energy hub designed with circular economy principles, bringing together industries that can positively contribute to the energy transition. This includes renewable energy generation, grid-scale batteries, green advanced manufacturing, and associated industries.
The partnership between AGL and Elecsome marks a significant step towards achieving a sustainable energy future while boosting the local economy and creating new job opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
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