Inquiry was referred by Murray Watt on 19 January 2026
A federal parliamentary committee will hold a public hearing in Canberra on 6 October 2026 as it examines how Australia can reuse and recycle solar panels and handle rising volumes of end-of-life equipment.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water will meet from 9:00am to 4:30pm AEDT in Committee Room 2R1 at Parliament House. People can watch the hearing live at aph.gov.au/live.
Industry representatives, researchers and government stakeholders are due to give evidence. They will address opportunities and challenges in Australia’s solar panel recycling and reuse sector.
Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt referred the inquiry to the committee on 19 January 2026. It is examining how the industry can respond as more panels reach the end of their working life.
Committee chair Anne Urquhart said members had already visited industry sites in Sydney and Wagga Wagga. Those visits showed work already under way by manufacturers, recyclers and researchers.
Urquhart said the inquiry aims to understand current industry capability, the barriers facing the sector and the steps needed to prepare for larger waste volumes from ageing panels.
Meanwhile, the committee is also looking at policy settings, infrastructure investment and regulatory measures that could support a sustainable and economically viable reuse and recycling sector.
Witnesses listed for 6 October hearing
Witnesses listed for the hearing include Regional Development Australia Southern NSW & ACT, Wayne Peacock, Halocell Energy Ltd, Second Life Solar, TSP Energy, Circular Australia, the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner, Pan Pacific Recycling and the Product Stewardship Centre for Excellence.
Because that list includes regional development bodies, energy companies, recycling businesses and a national commissioner, the hearing is likely to range from current recycling capacity to wider policy questions.
Public submissions and other inquiry material remain available through the committee’s website. Following the Canberra hearing, the evidence will feed into the committee’s broader examination of how Australia manages solar waste and expands reuse options as older panels come out of service.
