• Acquired global rights to 'Microwave Joule Heating Technology' (MJHT) developed by Macquarie University
• MJHT enables higher recoveries of critical minerals like silver, silicon, gallium, and indium
• Only 15% of waste solar cells are recycled globally, with 60-78 mt expected to accumulate by 2050

Lithium Universe Ltd (LU7) has announced the acquisition of the global rights to commercially exploit a patented photovoltaic solar panel recycling technology known as 'Microwave Joule Heating Technology' (MJHT), developed by Macquarie University. The MJHT technology utilizes microwave energy to selectively heat the materials within a solar panel, enabling easy delamination and potential recovery of valuable materials like silver, silicon, gallium, and indium at room temperature. This approach avoids the need for extreme heat and hazardous chemicals typically required in traditional recycling processes. The breakthrough technology offers a promising new solution to the growing challenge of managing solar panel waste, as currently, only 15% of used PV cells are recycled globally. It is estimated that 60-78 million tonnes of waste PV modules will accumulate by 2050, with the value of critical minerals in end-of-life solar panels projected to reach $80 billion by 2050. The MJHT technology has the potential to significantly improve the economics and sustainability of solar panel recycling by enabling higher recovery rates of valuable materials and eliminating the need for energy-intensive and environmentally harmful processes.

The company plans to initiate further research and development to commercialize the MJHT technology and capitalize on the growing opportunity in solar panel recycling.