Boral has begun trialling the use of crushed glass from end-of-life and damaged solar panels as a sustainable alternative to natural sand in concrete production.
The initiative is part of efforts to enhance sustainability in the construction industry and is currently being tested for use in Victoria’s North East Link project, the largest infrastructure investment in Melbourne’s north-east.
The recycled material, referred to as solar glass sand, has been developed as a replacement for traditional sand, a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce, Boral said in a news release.
The innovation was initiated by Spark North East Link Design & Construct Joint Venture (Spark), a consortium involving major construction companies and one of Australia’s largest road and tunnel operators.
The University of Melbourne contributed to the development and testing process.
Boral sourced the glass from ElecSome, an Australian solar panel upcycling facility that collects damaged or end-of-life panels.
The glass was processed at ElecSome’s facility before being blended with up to 50 per cent natural sand to create the new material.
Boral has produced multiple concrete mixes incorporating solar glass sand, with test batches transported from its Tullamarine plant to its newly established Bulleen Concrete Plant.
A trial concrete slab using the material has been laid on-site at the North East Link project.
The company has conducted assessments of plastic properties, including consistency and finishing, and has undertaken hardened property testing to ensure compliance with industry standards. Preliminary results have been described as promising.
Dr Ali Nezhad, head of Sustainability and Innovation at Boral, stated that the initiative represents a step forward in sustainable construction.
“We’re excited to be leading the development of concrete mixes containing solar glass sand, an innovative new product that will be used in Victoria’s biggest project in history,” Nezhad said.
“The success of this sustainable concrete mix in a commercial project provides an effective pathway for recycling end-of-life solar panels and contributes further to the sustainability of the construction and building industry.”
Furthermore, Nezhad noted that the company is focused on advancing circular economy principles in the building sector.
“Our solar glass sand concrete trial demonstrates the ability and strength of reusing materials to create a circular economy,” he said.
The trial will continue as Boral and its partners assess the material’s long-term performance in large-scale infrastructure applications.
