Lithium Universe Chief Executive Iggy Tan said that the collaboration with Macquarie University is aimed at solutions that combines Macquarie’s research of world class with the commercial vision of the company.
“Together we deliver a breakthrough recycling solution that restores silver with a lot of purity while retaining waffle integrity,” Tan said.
Veettil said that the technology could possibly expand later to extract other valuable metals, including gallium, indium and copper from discarded solar panels.
The Australian Energy Council has said that by 2050, the global waste from the solar panel will reach 60-78 million tons, whereby only Australia accumulates a million tons by 2035, with only 15% of the solar panels that are currently being recycled.
Each panel contains approximately 20 grams of silver worth Aud 36 ($ 23), and with the global energy transition and the electrification question to silver rises 7%annually, which is expected to be around 20 million kg in 2025.
