Bayan Mining and Minerals (ASX: BMM) has secured an exclusive licence from Macquarie University to assess the use of its innovative solar cell recycling technology in the recovery of valuable metals from recycled panels.

Known as microwave joule heating, the technology utilises microwave energy to soften and degrade the plastic EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) encapsulant that holds solar panel layers together, enabling the potential recovery of valuable materials at room temperature.

The process eliminates the need for traditional high-temperature baking (up to 1,400° Celsius) or costly and hazardous chemical treatments employing nitric acid, sulphuric acid and hydrogen fluoride.

Novel pathway

Bayan Mining said the technology presented a potential novel pathway for the improved recovery from solar panels of materials such as silver and silicon, considered critical materials underpinning solar and semiconductor technologies.

It could also solve the challenge of electronic waste from end-of-life solar panels.

“By aligning our operational strengths with cutting-edge recycling technologies, we aim to play a pivotal role in scaling up silver recovery from decommissioned solar panels, contributing to resource sustainability and circular economy goals,” the company said.

Improved recycling method

Macquarie’s heating technology represents an improvement on conventional recycling methods for solar panels, where mechanical crushing or shredding often results in the loss of high-value materials that become embedded in mixed and contaminated waste streams.

Delamination-based recycling offers the opportunity to cleanly separate key layers such as the front glass and back sheet without compromising the integrity of the underlying materials.

This allows the targeted extraction of valuable components, significantly improving recovery rates and material purity.

Low environmental impact

Microwave recycling has a low overall environmental impact compared to traditional recycling methods and can result in major energy savings, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the process.

By eliminating the need for high-temperature furnaces and chemical treatments, the process also minimises greenhouse gas emissions and eliminates the risk of toxic chemical waste streams.

Macquarie University senior lecturer (school of engineering) Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil said the innovation represented a breakthrough in sustainable solar panel recycling and minerals recovery.

“This technology provides a sustainable solution to managing end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) modules and lays the groundwork for broader applications in critical minerals recovery,” he said.

“As we refine and expand this approach, I look forward to seeing it evolve into a transformative tool that supports the semiconductor industry and strengthens global supply chains for high-value materials.”

Solar panel waste

Australia’s renewable energy transition is accelerating and large-scale PV solar panels are forming a key component of the national energy mix.

As these panels approach the end of their 30-year lifespan, the industry face a challenge in managing waste and recovering valuable materials.

Australia is projected to accumulate 1 million tonnes of end-of-life solar panels by 2035, with a total material value exceeding $1 billion.

The nation is potentially set to dispose of 34.6 gigawatts of serviceable panels for recycling or repurposing by 2045—roughly equivalent to the total installed solar capacity in Australia as of August 2024.

Recyclable materials

Solar panels consist of 95% recyclable materials including silver, aluminium, silicon, copper, indium and gallium, all of which are essential to global clean energy supply chains.

Rare metals such as gallium are essential for solar fuel cells, semiconductor chips and other high-tech applications, making their recovery from e-waste materials a strategic priority.

Bayan Mining has budgeted $180,000 over the next 12 months to further develop the proprietary microwave heating technology and explore its potential for minerals recovery.