The government of Albert is introducing a new recycling system for end-of-life solar panels.

Beginning October 1, the province will apply an environmental fee of CAN 14 to each new solar panel supplied in Alberta. The fee will not be applied retroactively to already-installed panels.

According to details on the government’s website, a typical residential installation of 20 panels would raise a fee of CAN 280, equivalent to less than 1.5% of the overall installation cost.

The fee will go towards ensuring money is available to collect, transport and recycle panels once they reach end of life. The provincial government has committed to working with the Alberta Recycling Management Authority and wider industry to build reuse and recycling capacity in Alberta as volumes of recycled panels increase.

Additional figures on the government’s website says Alberta has the second-largest installed solar capacity in Canada, with 95% of currently-installed panels expected to reach their end of life by 2045, generating as much as 72,700 tonnes of material.

The province says its solar panel recycling program is the first of its kind in North America.

Grant Hunter, Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, said the region is putting the system in place now to recover valuable materials, attract private investment and build a new recycling industry here in Alberta.

“Alberta has never been afraid to lead,” Hunter said. “We will not wait until mountains of dead solar panels are piling up in our landfills before acting.”

RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Affordability and Utilities, added that the program will protect taxpayers from future clean up costs.

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