Powering the Circular Economy: Local Government & the Solar/Battery Waste Challenge

Australia leads the world in rooftop solar uptake — and it's now approaching the first major wave of panel and battery decommissioning. Local Government Authorities carry the on-ground responsibility for managing this waste, yet have no defined role in national policy design.

This one-day workshop, hosted by the ANU in partnership with Circular PV Alliance (CPVA), brings together council officers, researchers, and industry practitioners to tackle the question head-on: how do we build a genuinely circular economy for end-of-life solar panels and batteries — and where do councils fit in?

What we'll cover:

• PV & battery waste — the scale of the challenge as Australia's early solar installs reach end-of-life

• Recycling & recovery — the state of processing infrastructure and what's still missing

• Reuse & repurposing — second-life pathways for panels, from community energy to social housing

• Stewardship — shaping the National Solar Stewardship Scheme so it actually works for local government

Who should come:

• Council officers — waste, planning, sustainability, and environment teams from metro, regional, and rural LGAs

• Researchers — anyone working on circular economy, energy systems, waste governance, or climate policy

• Industry & recyclers — solar and battery recycling, refurbishment, and second-life markets

• Policy makers — anyone shaping the national stewardship framework

You'll leave with a draft LGA Action Plan for solar and battery end-of-life management, a seat at a new multi-stakeholder working group, and direct input into how national policy gets implemented at the local level.

This event has is being delivered with funding support from the ANU Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions (ICEDS). This project is led by Rabin Basnet.

📍 ANU, Acton ACT
🗓️ 30/11/2026 9AM-5PM with light networking (before the 2026 Asia-Pacific Solar Research Conference)
🎟️ Free

Spaces are limited — register now to secure your place.

The event will be a mix of presentations, panels, and workshop sessions

Event agenda