Solar Panel Capacity
Moerk Water have been powering water treatment units using solar and wind power for nearly two decades. In that time, the capacity per m2 of PV modules has nearly doubled. Early Moerk Water SWRO plants were powered by 240 Wp solar panels with a surface area of 1.6 m2. By 2024, typical solar panel capacity for Moerk Water solar powered units was up to 450 Wp and surface area of the panels had increased to 2 m2. Although panels are 20% larger now, breakthroughs in solar panel technology have been responsible for this increase in capacity. Over the last decade, efficiency of panels has increased by 50% from 15% to 22.5%.
Solar Panel Cost
Additionally, over the last two decades, the cost of solar panels has come down by around 90%. In the mid 2000s, solar panels had retail costs around $1 per Watt. Latest generation panels have retail costs as low as 20c per Watt. Similarly, the cost of an installed solar system (including inverter, labour and Balance of System costs) has dropped by 70% over the last twenty years.
Growth of Solar Power
Between 2000 and 2010, solar panel growth was fairly steady. After 2010, as panels became cheaper and more efficient, the installation of solar panels increased exponentially. In 2023, 447 GW of solar capacity was installed globally, bringing the total up to 1624 GW (~6% of global electricity demand). A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency in 2022, determined that renewables are now the cheapest from of energy generation. Additionally, even when considering the Levelised Cost of Electricity (which considers CAPEX and OPEX), Solar PV is the still the cheapest form of energy generation, followed closely by onshore wind. Even when renewables are firmed with energy storage, they are cost competitive with traditional fuel sources like coal and gas.
| Energy type | LCOE (AUD/MWh) |
| Solar PV | 50-88 |
| Onshore wind | 51-113 |
| Natural gas combined cycle | 66-117 |
| Nuclear | 66-155 |
| Firmed Renewables | 83-140 |
| Fixed Offshore wind | 80-230 |
| Coal | 116-169 |
| Natural gas combustion turbine | 129-140 |
Source: EIA, IRENA, CSIRO, AEMO
The standard design life of solar panels is around 25 years. Some higher quality panels having a design life of up to 40 years. Solar irradiation is measured in kWh/m2/day. Therefore, the capacity of a solar array is directly proportional to the available surface area of solar panels. Given the limited land area available for most solar PV arrays, the focus is on maximizing the capacity per square metre. Older, lower capacity panels are being replaced by newer generation panels with higher capacities after only 10-15 years (typically when inverters or batteries are upgraded). In Australia, annual solar PV waste is projected to reach 100,000 tonnes by 2030.
Solar Panel Recycling
Australia has more installed solar capacity per capita than any other country. Previously, two thirds of end-of-life solar panels were sent overseas for reuse. However, new solar panels are now so affordable that this is no longer a viable option. Currently only 17% of PV modules, mostly the aluminium frame of the solar panels, are recycled in Australia. The main limitation to increasing solar panel recycling in Australia is that the cost of landfill is a fifth of the price of recycling the panels. Only Victoria and South Australia have regulations preventing the disposal of solar panels in landfill.
Once the aluminium frames and electrical cables are removed, the rest of the panel can be ground up and recycled. This material can be refined into glass, silicon, silver, copper and plastic. New technologies allow for the separation of these materials, particularly heavy metals, without the generation of toxic fumes. These advancements have reduced the cost of recycling panels by about 50% to between $10 and $15.
After 25 years a solar panel will still have around 80% of its original capacity. Another solution for used solar panels is to reuse solar panels to generate power in new arrays in locations with excess land area. This allows for arrays to be upgraded where land area is scare. Then secondhand panels can be redeployed in locations where there is ample land and the panels are no longer as efficient.
Designing systems with componentry that is truly sustainable is an important part of Moerk Water’s mission. Contact Moerk Water to get a truly sustainable water treatment solution for your location.
