What’s said to be one of Australia’s first effective solar PV recycling facilities is up and running in Melbourne’s north.

A panel-crushing plant introduced by Melbourne-based Lotus Energy is said to be able to recycle 100 percent of end-of-life solar PV modules, including inverters, cables, optimisers and mounting structures – all without using any chemicals.

The facility is expected to be joined by Reclaim PV Recycling, which is developing a processing facility in the Adelaide industrial suburb of Londsdale.

Another company, Melbourne-based Elecsome, in a partnership including Ojas Group, RMIT and the University of Melbourne, recently won a Federal Government grant to set up its own “first of its kind” solar panel.