Experts Explore Recycling and Disposal Solutions
Armidale is hosting a community event titled ‘Closing the Loop: Recycling Solar in the New England’ on 4th May 2026. Scheduled from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, it will take place at NOVA, 122 Faulkner Street, Armidale. This free event is open to the public, and online attendance is available.
The event will explore end-of-life options for solar panels, focusing on recycling, reuse, and responsible disposal in regional Australia. Representatives from the Smart Energy Council, University of New England (UNE), RE-Alliance, Armidale Regional Council, and local community energy groups will participate.
Trevor Brown from Electrify Armidale and UNE, alongside Darren Johannesen, Executive General Manager of Sustainability at the Smart Energy Council, will discuss challenges and opportunities in solar panel recycling.
Other speakers include Kas Gregory, a UNE lecturer in Computational, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry, and Megan Kessler, Policy & Research Director at RE-Alliance. Guada Lado, Manager of Regional Waste at Armidale Regional Council, and Cameron Turner, Director of UNE Smart Region Incubator, will also contribute.
Local government representatives are registered to attend, including Armidale Regional Mayor Sam Coupland, Uralla Shire Mayor Robert Bell, and Uralla Shire Deputy Mayor Kath Arnold. Councillors from both Armidale Regional Council and Uralla Shire Council will join them. Northern Inland Regional Waste and the University of New England will also participate.
The event emphasises collaboration among diverse groups to advance solar panel recycling. Journalists are invited to attend, with opportunities to ask questions during the panel discussion. Follow-up questions will be accommodated after the event.
For registration, visit the event page on Humanitix. For further information, contact Trevor Brown, Convenor of Electrify Armidale, at 0447 284 147.
