Pioneering Australian company marks new milestone on “mission” to upcycle end-of-life solar panels

Emerging Australian solar recycling outfit, Elecsome, has marked a “significant milestone” on its journey to commercialisation, after receiving a patent grant for methods it uses to break down end-of-life panels and mine them for new materials for use in sectors.

In a LinkedIn post on Wednesday, Elecsome said the patented IP covers methods for the dismantling of solar panels, as well as a method for producing glassfines from PV glass for use in the construction industry.

“Receiving a patent is a significant milestone in our mission to upcycle end-of-life solar panels,” the LinkedIn post says.

“This achievement fuels our commitment to advancing R&D and inspires us to continue expanding the boundaries of innovation on our journey.”

Elecsome last year announced the successful commissioning of its first solar upcycling facility in Victoria, in association with the federal department of industry, The University of Melbourne and RMIT.

The company, whose technology transforms used solar panels into new products used in the construction and manufacturing industries, was one of 10 start-ups to take part in EnergyLab’s 2023 Climate Solutions Accelerator program.

A June 2024 deal with AGL Energy saw Elecsome agree to work up a feasibility study for a facility with the potential to upcycle half a million solar panels a year at the site of AGL’s shuttered Liddell coal plant in New South Wales.

One of its main products, SolarCrete – a pre-mixed concrete made using glass recovered from used solar panels – will form part of the feasibility study at the Hunter site, the companies say.

A second stage would then focus on the extraction of high value materials, including silicon wafer for re-use in PV and battery grade silicon, electric conductors for re-use in electrical appliances, and the extraction and re-use of silver, copper and aluminium.

The company has also signed a long-term services framework agreement with Enel Green Power Australia.

Elecsome managing director, Neeraj Das, has previously described resource recovery and upcycling of solar panels as Australia’s “next-gen mining” opportunity.

Renew Economy is seeking further comment from Das and Elecsome.