"Where to sell old solar panels" and "can you sell old solar panels" are each searched about 10 times a month in Australia, according to Ubersuggest, and a handful more people ask whether old panels are worth anything. The volume is small, and the issue is growing: as panels installed in the first rooftop boom reach the end of their lives, owners and installers need somewhere to send them. This guide sets out where Australia is on reuse, resale and recycling, what a householder or business can do today and what we could not confirm. Policy is moving quickly, our sources run to 2026 and some are trade press, so check current rules. We give no prices. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
Where the system is
A national scheme is in progress and not yet in place. Commonwealth, state and territory governments have agreed to work towards a national product stewardship scheme for reusing and recycling end-of-life panels. NSW is consulting on a mandatory scheme under which panel suppliers would pay fees to a stewardship organisation set up by the EPA so panels do not end up in landfill. A national pilot for solar panel recycling was announced in March 2026, with plans to invest A$24.7 million over three years, according to a trade report. One industry submission argues that the national work is still limited to investigating pilots and collecting data on what happens to end-of-life material, rather than a full scheme.
Practice lags the policy. One source says only about 10 percent of panels are recycled and that most end-of-life panels are dumped, stockpiled or landfilled. Capacity is growing, with Lotus Energy completing what it calls Australia's first solar panel recycling centre in Thomastown, Victoria, and Reclaim PV Recycling's facility in Lonsdale, South Australia to follow. But the sector is fragile: Sircel, one of the largest recyclers, entered voluntary administration. We did not find material recovery rates for aluminium frames, glass or silver, and one source says the missing link in Australia is a specialist in panel material recovery.
Reuse comes first
Researchers argue that recycling should be the last resort. A Queensland council test found more than 31 percent of panels could be considered for reuse and not material recovery. A University of South Australia report found no national standards for reusing or refurbishing panels, no incentives for second-hand systems and no liability protection for installers who handle reused panels. Our guide to selling second-hand solar panels covers the resale side.
What you can do today
- Ask your installer first. If you are replacing a system, the installer may remove the old panels. We did not find a rule on what they must do with them, so ask where they go.
- Test for reuse. A panel that still produces rated output may have a buyer, and testing is the gap the researchers describe.
- Use a specialist recycler where one exists. Capacity is limited, and it is worth ringing before you move anything.
- Check your council or state. We did not confirm landfill rules for panels in each state. Victoria's Solar Victoria runs an end-of-life page that we could not read, so check it if you are there.
- Do not dump or stockpile them. Most of the end-of-life problem is panels that are dumped or stored indefinitely.
Are they worth anything?
Sometimes as reuse, rarely as metal. In our reading a panel is glass, an aluminium frame and cells, and we found no figure for what a recycler pays for or charges to take one, so we give none. Our guide to scrap aluminium prices explains how yards value aluminium once separated, though whether a yard takes a whole panel is something we did not confirm.
Where ScrapTrade fits
A rooftop of panels belongs with an installer, a tester or a recycler, and ScrapTrade does not test, remove or recycle panels. A solar installer, a farm or a commercial site with a quantity of removed panels, frames or cable might still try it: listing costs nothing and there is no commission, you negotiate terms in chat and a bid that is accepted leaves the buyer's 5 percent deposit in escrow. Businesses and individuals can sell once verified, and buyers in more than 50 countries bid. Whether panels or frames are accepted, and whether panels are classed with e-waste, we could not confirm, so ask cs@scraptrade.com.au first.
What we could not verify
- What any panel is worth, to a reuse buyer or a recycler. We give no prices.
- Current landfill rules for panels in each state.
- Material recovery rates for aluminium, glass and silver.
- The status of the national and NSW schemes after the reports we read.
- Whether ScrapTrade accepts panels.
Frequently asked questions
Are old solar panels worth anything?
Some can be reused or resold. As scrap they are glass, aluminium and cells, and we found no figure for what they fetch.
Can I sell old solar panels?
Yes, there is a second-hand market, but there are no national standards and panels usually come without warranty.
Can I put old solar panels in the bin?
We did not confirm rules in each state. Most end-of-life panels are landfilled or dumped, and the aim of the schemes is to stop that.
Is there a national recycling scheme?
Not yet. Governments agreed to work towards one, NSW is consulting and a pilot was announced in 2026.
Can I list solar panels on ScrapTrade?
Verified sellers can list scrap and e-waste. Ask support about panels.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, Australia, queried November 2026.
- Trade-press and government reports on the national solar panel stewardship scheme, the NSW consultation and the 2026 pilot; a University of South Australia reuse report; recycler and council coverage, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information only, not legal or financial advice. Policy is changing and rules vary by state.