Lithium Universe Ltd. has partnered with Macquarie University and national science agency CSIRO to advance groundbreaking research into solar panel recycling.
The collaborative project, titled “Microwave-Assisted Recycling of End-of-Life Silicon Photovoltaic Modules”, was selected under the CSIRO Industry PhD Program.
The four-year initiative combines academic, scientific, and industry expertise to address Australia’s accelerating solar panel waste challenge.
The research focuses on Lithium Universe’s Silver Extraction PV Recycling Project, investigating the use of microwave energy to separate module layers without crushing or contaminating materials.
By selectively heating internal encapsulants, the process enables intact delamination, allowing high-quality glass, silicon, silver, and other critical metals to be recovered cleanly for reuse in new manufacturing supply chains.
Australia currently generates roughly 60,000 tonnes of end-of-life solar panels annually, containing an estimated 60 tonnes of silver, with annual waste projected to reach 91,000 tonnes by 2030.
The project will be led by academic supervisor Binesh Puthen Veettil from Macquarie University, CSIRO supervisor Michael Batten, and Lithium Universe industry supervisor Jingyuan Liu.
Over the four-year program, a PhD researcher will complete a minimum 60-day placement with Lithium Universe to undertake pilot testing, techno-economic modelling, and commercial trial design.
Total scholarship funding for the candidate exceeds AU$207,000, combining AU$155,433 from CSIRO and a AU$51,710 industry top-up from Lithium Universe, alongside operational funding from Macquarie University.
Draft collaboration agreements are slated for review by October, with candidate recruitment and project enrolment commencing shortly after.
Lithium Universe CEO Iggy Tan said: “The successful EOI is an important endorsement of the strength of this collaborative research project and its potential contribution to Australia’s circular economy.
“The project brings together complementary research and industry capabilities to address a growing challenge: recovering higher-value materials from end-of-life solar panels rather than consigning them to landfill.”