Alberta launches solar panel recycling program — a new step for the circular economy
The Government of Alberta has announced a new solar panel recycling program, positioning Alberta as the first province in Canada to establish a dedicated system for managing solar panels at end of life.
Beginning October 1, 2026, solar panels will be banned from landfill disposal and directed toward reuse and recycling. The move comes as Alberta’s solar sector continues to grow—and with it, the future volume of materials requiring end-of-life management. The Government estimates that by 2045, more than 95% of solar panels currently installed in Alberta could reach the end of their useful lives, generating up to 72,700 tonnes of material.
What’s changing?
A new environmental fee:
A $14 fee will apply to each new solar panel supplied in Alberta beginning October 1. The fee is intended to fund the collection, transportation and recycling of both newly supplied and legacy panels. There will be no retroactive fee on panels already installed.
Landfill disposal will no longer be permitted:
Solar panels will be diverted from landfill and directed toward reuse and recycling, helping keep valuable materials in circulation.
Building Alberta’s recycling capacity:
Solar panels contain recoverable glass, aluminum, silicon, silver, copper and other materials. The province says the program will support investment in collection and processing infrastructure and help develop a new recycling industry in Alberta.
Why this matters for the circular economy
This announcement is an important example of the connection between the energy transition and the materials transition. Renewable energy technologies may reduce emissions, but they also create new material streams that need to be planned for throughout their lifecycle.
“For the RCA, this is exactly where circular economy thinking comes in: designing systems that consider what happens to products and materials before they become waste, creating pathways for reuse and recovery, and keeping valuable resources in the economy for as long as possible,” stated executive director, Jennifer Koole. “We recognize the foresight of the Government and team at ARMA for working to address solar panels as a resource with an opportunity to expand recovery and business opportunities.”
Alberta’s approach also builds on the province’s 2024 expansion of its electronics recycling regulation, which added solar panels, wind turbine components and electric vehicle batteries.
Read the Government’s full announcement
For more information email electronics_renewables@albertarecycling.ca or see the FAQ on ARMA’s website here.
Continue the conversation at the RCA Conference
The announcement provides a timely backdrop to our upcoming session at the 2026 Recycling Council of Alberta’s Circular Economy Conference October 21-23, 2026 at the Chateau Lake Louise.
Harnessing Nature’s Waves: Designing a Renewable Energy System for the Long Term
Concurrent Session | Temple C
The energy transition is also a materials transition. This session will explore how circular economy principles can help ensure renewable energy systems are designed with their full lifecycle in mind—from reuse and recycling to critical material recovery and reducing future waste streams.
Panelists:
- Ed Gugenheimer, ARMA
- Rajiv Ramchandra, ReCreate India
- Energy Futures Lab
Join us October 21–23 at Catch the Wave! Early bird registration ends Sept.11