Featured in The burning question – 10-2021

Out of landfill, back in the stream

With technological progress, falling costs, and favorable subsidies all incentivizing Australian households to replace serviceable modules and upgrade their rooftop array, a stockpile of useable second-hand modules is mounting. But efforts to embrace reuse rather than refuse are taking shape.
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Many Australian households are upgrading their smaller, older rooftop systems, resulting in functional modules entering the waste stream. | Image: Perfect Solar Power

For a little over a decade Joe Amajouyi has been shipping second-hand solar PV panels from Australia to Nigeria. However, a 300% rise in freight costs triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic has forced him to put the export operation on hold. Amajouyi, owner of JNL Auto Scrap in the Australian state of Queensland, has established …

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