Introduction

Solar Battery Group is committed to ensuring that the impact of decommissioning end-of-life batteries is minimised through our battery end-of-life plan. This includes how we monitor battery performance, determine end-of-life, decommission batteries and recommendations to customers regarding specialised recyclers.

Our end-of-life plan is governed by the organisation environment policy and ensures the use of Australian based recyclers to mitigate any contribution to landfill.

Monitoring

Solar Battery Group monitors battery installations through manufacturer portals for the purpose of providing remote support to customers when required. Through the portal we can determine basic faults or poor performance of a system. It is sometimes necessary to visit a customer’s property if a fault reason cannot be determined remotely. If a customer notices a fault with their system, it is their responsibility to contact Solar Battery Group.

Step 1. Identify the issue.
Step 2. Resolve the issue remotely using software tools.
Step 3. If required, send out a technician to investigate and resolve the issue on-site.
Step 4. If problem persists, then replace the affected part or system under warranty.

End of Life Determination

A battery is determined to be at its end of life if there is a failure of hardware or componentry that renders the battery unusable. If the battery is under warranty, it will be replaced under the manufacturer’s warranty program at no cost to the customer. The faulty battery is then sent back to the manufacturer for refurbishment.

If the battery is out of warranty, there are a number of specialised battery recyclers that can be contacted on the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative website. Below are some examples of battery recyclers located in Australia (current as of January 2023):

• Ecoactiv (https://www.ecoactiv.com.au)
• Ecobatt (https://www.ecobatt.net/)
• TES-AMM (https://www.tes-amm.com)
• Envirostream (https://envirostream.com.au/)
• Renewable Metals (https://www.renewable-metals.com/)
• The Activ Group (https://activgroup.io/)

Tesla

For Tesla installations, Solar Battery Group has implemented Tesla’s Specific “Battery Recycling Plan”. Tesla’s plan has been developed directly by them and details how they will address battery end of life.

Fees

Battery recycling costs can vary based on battery size, componentry, and extent of decommissioning. As a guide, we estimate the average recycling cost for a standard 5 kWh battery to be $500 + freight charges.

For any claims that are made within the manufacturer warranty period, the above fees do not apply.