What local councils, landholders and communities in the Goulburn Murray region need to know about refurbishment, repowering and retirement of renewable energy infrastructure.
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Major renewable energy installations across GMCA member councils — solar farms, hydro, community batteries and proposed wind projects. Click a marker for full details. Council boundaries sourced from the ABS 2025 LGA dataset.
The Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance (GMCA) represents local governments and partner organisations across the Goulburn and Upper Murray regions of Victoria. Our member councils, Alpine Resorts Victoria, and Catchment Management Authorities oversee a growing portfolio of renewable energy infrastructure — from rooftop solar on council buildings, to residential home battery systems, community-scale batteries, private solar farms, wind energy, hydro power, and emerging biogas and bioenergy facilities.
Like any infrastructure, all of these technologies have a lifespan. As they age, decisions will need to be made: do you upgrade components and keep going, replace the whole system with something more powerful, or retire and remove the installation? This guide is designed to help GMCA members — whether you are a council officer, elected councillor, rural landholder, or engaged community member — understand what those choices mean and how to prepare for them.
This guide draws on research by RE-Alliance, adapted for the specific mix of renewable technologies found across the GMCA region. The same principles apply whether you are managing a residential battery in Seymour, a community solar farm near Wangaratta, or a large wind or hydro installation in the alpine foothills.
Renewable energy has been part of Australia's energy mix for decades. The first large-scale wind turbines were installed in the 1980s, and solar has been growing rapidly since the 2000s. After 30–40 years, the earliest projects are now approaching the end of their original design life. Closer to home, some of the first residential solar systems installed in the GMCA region are already more than 15 years old.
At the same time, our region continues to see new renewable investment — solar farms, wind proposals, and community energy projects. Communities and councils are right to ask: what happens when all of this infrastructure eventually ages out? Getting ahead of these questions now means better outcomes for landholders, ratepayers, and the environment.
↑ Back to contentsA circular economy moves away from the traditional "take, make, dispose" model — where materials are used once and discarded — toward a system where resources are kept in use for as long as possible, then recovered and regenerated at the end of each service life.
For GMCA member councils and their communities, this means renewable energy infrastructure is not simply installed and eventually landfilled. Instead, every stage of a system's life — design, operation, refurbishment, repowering, and eventual retirement — is an opportunity to retain value, reduce waste, and generate local benefit.
Refurbishment and repowering extend the useful life of existing infrastructure, keeping materials in productive use and deferring the energy and resources required to build new systems.
Solar panels are 95%+ recyclable; batteries up to 95%; wind turbines 90%+. Recovering silicon, copper, aluminium, lithium, cobalt and nickel reduces the need for new mining and keeps these critical materials in the economy.
Access roads, fencing, concrete pads, grid connections and structural components can often be retained and repurposed — reducing costs for future projects or other land uses, as seen at Bango Wind Farm.
Decommissioning materials can be donated to local infrastructure, education, or training as happened at Ten Mile Lagoon — reinforcing circular principles at the regional level.
GMCA member councils are well-placed to embed circular economy principles into renewable energy procurement, asset management and planning decisions. Practical steps include:
Different technologies age at different rates. These figures are general guides — actual lifespan depends on maintenance quality, operating conditions, and technology generation. Notably, many older Australian wind farms have already outlasted their original design life of 20 years, now tracking toward 30+ years.
Panels: 20–25 years. Inverters: 10–15 years. Home batteries (e.g. BYD, SolarEdge): 10–15 years before capacity degrades significantly.
Larger grid-connected systems like Ausgrid's neighbourhood batteries. Individual battery cells may need replacement before the full system retires.
Panels themselves often last longer, but inverters, mounting frames and grid connection infrastructure may need earlier replacement.
Onshore turbines. Original design life is often 20–25 years, but refurbishment and component replacement is regularly extending this to 30–40 years.
Conventional hydro infrastructure is extremely durable. Civil structures (dams, channels) can last a century with maintenance. Electrical components are replaced more frequently.
Digesters, gas capture systems and generation equipment typically have a 20–30 year lifespan, though this varies significantly by system design and feedstock type.
By 2045, around 12.5 GW of renewables nationally will be approaching retirement. In our region, the next decade will see the first wave of residential solar systems from the mid-2000s reaching 20+ years of age, alongside some of the region's earlier commercial and community-scale solar installations.
↑ Back to contentsWhen a renewable energy system approaches the end of its projected lifespan, there are three main pathways — and two of them actually extend the system's useful life rather than ending it.
The same three pathways apply to residential and community-scale systems, though the arrangements are simpler. A homeowner with an aging solar system will typically be offered replacement panels and inverter upgrades by retailers. Community batteries hosted on council-owned land will be subject to agreements between council and the battery operator covering what happens when the battery reaches end of life. It is worth councils ensuring these agreements include clear provisions on removal, site reinstatement, and responsibility for costs.
An SMA Sunny Tripower inverter — these commercial-grade inverters are common on larger council and school installations and typically need replacement after 10–15 years, often before the panels themselves.
↑ Back to contentsOne of the most common concerns about renewables retirement is waste. The good news is that most renewable energy technologies are highly recyclable in principle — the challenge lies in building the infrastructure and incentives to actually recover those materials at scale. Australia has a real opportunity to lead in this area.
Councils can play a role here. When procuring or overseeing renewable energy projects, councils can specify that decommissioning plans must include recycling commitments — and can advocate for state government investment in regional recycling infrastructure for solar panels and batteries.
Most large-scale renewable energy projects in Australia — solar farms, wind farms, larger battery installations — are built on private agricultural or rural land under lease agreements. This is the situation for many landholders across the Goulburn Murray region. When projects eventually reach retirement, these agreements determine who is responsible for what.
Unlike traditional power stations (built on land owned by the energy company), the landholder relationship makes proper agreement conditions essential. Councils that host infrastructure on their own land are effectively in the same position.
Decommissioning is expensive. These safeguards ensure money is available when the time comes, regardless of the project owner's financial situation decades from now.
A dedicated fund built up over time by the project owner, held by a third party, to cover future decommissioning costs. The most robust protection.
A contractual commitment from the project owner's parent company to cover decommissioning costs if the operating entity becomes insolvent.
A written commitment from a bank to pay decommissioning costs if the project owner fails to meet its obligations.
Specialist insurance policies that cover the cost of decommissioning and site rehabilitation should the project owner default.
Most new renewable energy projects now include some form of financial assurance as standard. However, older projects may not. If your council or a landholder in your area hosts an older installation, it is worth reviewing what protections are in place. It is standard practice for developers to cover a landholder's legal costs for reviewing these agreements.
Renewable energy projects are sometimes sold to new owners. When this happens, the original agreement with the landholder carries over to the new owner. Your rights and protections do not disappear with an ownership change — but it is worth ensuring your agreement explicitly states this, and that you are notified of any change of ownership.
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In addition to private agreements, state regulations set a baseline for how renewable energy projects must be retired. As a Victorian alliance, GMCA members benefit from some of the stronger regulatory frameworks in Australia on this issue — though private agreements remain essential for protection beyond the minimum requirements.
In Victoria, wind and solar project owners are required to submit decommissioning and site rehabilitation plans as part of the approvals process. These plans must detail how the site will be restored to its condition prior to the project, and explain how materials will be recycled or appropriately disposed of when operations cease. Updated plans must typically be submitted to the relevant authority up to a year before decommissioning work begins.
Victoria's framework is stronger than some other jurisdictions. For comparison:
Victoria's planning approval requirements mean there should be a decommissioning plan on record for any large-scale wind or solar project in our region. Councils can request sight of these plans for projects within their municipality, and should ensure any agreements they hold as landholders go further than the regulatory minimum — particularly around financial assurance and rehabilitation standards for community-owned assets.
For smaller installations (home batteries, rooftop solar, micro-hydro), there are currently no specific decommissioning regulations in Victoria. Responsibility falls to the system owner, making it important for homeowners and councils to understand their obligations when systems are decommissioned or replaced.
↑ Back to contentsThe transition to renewable energy, and its responsible management over time, is not something that happens to communities — it is something communities can actively shape. Here are practical steps for different audiences across the GMCA region.
GMCA can play an important coordination role here — helping member councils share experience, align on advocacy positions with state government, and ensure that as renewable energy matures across our region, communities retain a strong voice in how it is managed.
As the first wave of residential solar systems installed in the Goulburn Murray region reaches the 15–25 year mark, councils will increasingly face questions from ratepayers — and manage their own assets — around what to do with ageing panels, inverters, batteries and associated components. This section outlines the obligations, options and circular economy opportunities involved.
Residential rooftop solar began to take off across north-east Victoria in the mid-2000s, accelerating sharply after the introduction of federal and state feed-in tariff schemes from 2009. Many of the earliest systems — installed with first-generation polycrystalline panels and string inverters — are now 15+ years old. Inverters typically fail first, at 10–15 years, often before panels show significant degradation. By the early 2030s, the volume of end-of-life residential solar equipment reaching the region will escalate substantially.
Australia currently recycles only about 17% of end-of-life solar panels and 10% of lithium-ion batteries — despite both being 90–95% recyclable. Getting this right is both an environmental obligation and a significant economic opportunity for the region.
Silicon cells, glass, aluminium frames, silver contact strips, copper wiring, EVA polymer encapsulant. Classified as e-waste. Panels contain small amounts of lead and tin solder — not household waste.
Printed circuit boards, copper wiring, aluminium heat sinks, steel casings, capacitors. Classified as e-waste. Contain hazardous materials including lead solder and electrolytic capacitors requiring careful handling.
Lithium-ion cells (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese), battery management electronics, steel or aluminium casing. Classified as hazardous waste. Risk of thermal runaway if damaged — must not go to landfill or general waste.
Fibreglass or carbon fibre blades, copper wiring, steel tower sections, permanent magnets (containing rare earths), aluminium components. Blades are the hardest component to recycle — currently limited options in Australia.
Staff dealing with ratepayer enquiries or managing council assets should be familiar with the following framework:
Options vary by location and material type. Staff and ratepayers should check current availability as services change:
Many GMCA transfer stations accept e-waste including inverters and small electronics. Check with each council's waste services team. Solar panels and large batteries may require pre-arrangement due to size and hazard classification. Contact your local council waste team for current capabilities.
Accepts metal components including aluminium framing, steel and copper from solar installations. Facilities in Wodonga and Shepparton. Metal components must be separated from panels before acceptance. Phone ahead to confirm current acceptance categories.
Specialist solar panel recyclers operate in Melbourne (Reclaim PV Recycling, Ecoactiv). For GMCA councils, panels need to be palletised and transported. The Circular PV Alliance (circularpv.com.au) maintains a current list of accredited processors across Australia.
Portable batteries via B-cycle drop-off points (bcycle.com.au for locations). Large home storage batteries (BYD, Tesla Powerwall etc.) require manufacturer take-back or specialist hazardous waste contractors. Never transport a swollen or damaged battery — contact your council's hazardous waste service.
For batteries that are damaged, swollen or leaking, contact Cleanaway or Veolia hazardous waste services (both operating in the region). These materials cannot be transported in standard vehicles. Councils should have a hazardous waste protocol for depot staff encountering these items.
Some manufacturers offer take-back programs (SolarEdge, Fronius, SMA). Ratepayers should check with their original installer or the manufacturer directly. This is particularly relevant for inverters and battery management units which contain more valuable electronics.
Council depot, waste and customer service staff are the first point of contact for most residential enquiries. Recommended actions:
The following organisations can provide additional support, information, and specialist advice on renewable energy retirement issues.
Independent not-for-profit supporting rural and regional communities through the energy transition. Community engagement and general guidance on renewables retirement.
re-alliance.org.auAustralia's national leader on solar panel stewardship and recycling. Ran the most comprehensive solar panel recycling pilots in Australia. Lead advocate for mandatory national stewardship. Resources, research and advocacy at:
smartenergy.org.au/reuse-recycleProvides information resources, advocacy and a certification directory for solar panel recyclers and processors in Australia. Useful for finding accredited processors, but note it is an NGO rather than a regulatory or stewardship body.
circularpv.com.auAdvice and resources on community-owned renewables, including how to structure agreements for community batteries and solar projects.
info@cpagency.org.auProvides general public information about renewable energy projects and can receive and support complaints about project management.
aeic.gov.auIndustry body with a Best Practice Charter that covers decommissioning and landholder protections. Useful reference for what good project management looks like.
cleanenergycouncil.org.auThe full research report underpinning this guide: Retirement Age Renewables — Delivering for Australian Communities.
Read the full reportFor landholders reviewing or negotiating renewable energy hosting agreements, it is strongly recommended to seek independent legal advice from a solicitor with experience in renewable energy and rural property law. It is standard practice for project developers to cover reasonable legal costs for landholders reviewing agreements.
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