Committee to discuss progressing a national solar panel circular economy

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water will hold a public hearing in Canberra with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on Wednesday, October 28, as part of its inquiry into solar panel reuse and recycling.

During 2026 the committee has held public hearings with stakeholders and specialists in photovoltaic research, product development, reuse and recycling and the integration of circular economy principles into Australia's solar panel industry.

Metropolitan and regional industry and research site visits have also been undertaken. The committee has explored optimising panel resource use and recovery, while optimising solar energy output, to combat the growing volume of ‘end-of-life’ solar panels.

At the December 2025 Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council meeting, Australian jurisdictions agreed to progress a national solar panel product stewardship scheme. The Australian Government followed this by announcing, in January, a national solar panel recycling pilot.

Data and consultation feedback from the pilot is designed to inform a national product stewardship approach. At the hearing on Wednesday, the committee will discuss these initiatives with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and consider how evidence received throughout the inquiry may inform future policy development.

Committee Chair, Anne Urquhart MP, said, “The committee has asked the department to reappear to discuss initiatives designed to support a circular economy for solar panels. These initiatives aim to divert ever increasing volumes of solar panel waste from landfill, reduce excessive stockpiling and exporting of used panels, and recover valuable resources for reuse.

“Australia has been a global leader in the uptake of solar energy. We now have an opportunity to show similar leadership in how we manage solar panels at the end of their life, creating environmental and economic benefits for communities across the country,” Ms Urquhart said.

The inquiry was referred to the committee on January 19 his year by the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Murray Watt.

Public hearing details:

Date:               Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Time:               10am to 11am AEDT
Location:         Committee Room 1R6, Parliament House, ACT 2600

The hearing will be audio broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Further information, including the terms of reference, can be found on the committee’s website.

ends