Lithium Universe finalises deal to revolutionise solar PV recycling
The acquisition gives Lithium Universe access to Macquarie University's microwave joule heating technology, which efficiently recovers silver and other critical minerals from discarded photovoltaic panels.
New Age Minerals has an exclusive licensing agreement with the Sydney-based university for the technology.
The buy-out positions Lithium Universe to tap into a growing $154 billion silver recovery market, amid growing demand for the relatively rare and expensive metal.
Each solar panel contains about 20 grams of silver on average, valued at $36 at current prices following a 126 per cent surge in prices since 2018. The silver is used to make a conductive paste for electrical contacts in the panels.
Global demand for silver is projected to hit 680 million ounces in 2025, driven by photovoltaics and artificial intelligence systems, prompting an anticipated market deficit of 117.6 million ounces of silver.
Macquarie's platform uses microwave technology to selectively heat silicon, softening the plastic encapsulant in solar panels for easy delamination at room temperature.
This method avoids extreme temperatures - up to 1400°C - and hazardous chemicals required in traditional recycling. Traditional recycling also often requires mechanical crushing, leading to cross-contamination and lower recovery rates.
The new technology enhances the extraction of valuable metals such as silver, silicon, gallium and indium from discarded PV panels.
The International Energy Agency estimates there will be 60–78 million tonnes of solar waste globally by 2050, with about 1 million tonnes expected to have been created in Australia by 2035. It would be valued at more than $1 billion.
Currently, only 15 per cent of solar PV panels are recycled due to the complex processes required and most end up in landfills.
Lithium Universe is collaborating with Macquarie University to advance its microwave joule heating technology research and development, focusing on optimising silver and critical metal recovery.
The company's board, comprising chemical extraction specialists, is evaluating high-yield recovery methods for end-of-life modules. The acquisition, completed after legal due diligence and licensing agreement amendments, strengthens Lithium Universe's position in the sustainable energy sector.
Lithium Universe's strategic acquisition and cutting-edge technology signal a bright future for sustainable solar panel recycling, poising the company to help meet rising global demand for critical metals while reducing environmental waste.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact:
matt.birney@wanews.com.au
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Travellers to the US must pay a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee' — what to know
Visitors to the United States will need to pay a 'visa integrity fee,' according to a provision of the Trump administration's recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However, travellers may also be able to get the fees reimbursed, according to the provision. Details about the new requirement are scant, which has resulted in 'significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation,' a spokesperson from the US Travel Association told CNBC Travel. However, here is what is known thus far. How much is the fee? The fee will be at least $250 ($A383) during the US fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. However, the secretary of Homeland Security is free to set the fee higher, according to the provision. Thereafter, the visa integrity fee will be adjusted for inflation. Who must pay the new fee? The 'visa integrity fee' applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas, which includes tourists, business travellers and international students. When is the fee paid? The fee is paid when the visa is issued, according to the provision. Thus, visitors whose visa requests are denied will not be charged. Does the fee replace other visa fees? No, the provision states that the new fee is 'in addition to' other fees, including regular visa fees. 'For example, an H-1B worker already paying a $205 application fee may now expect to pay a total of $455 once this fee is in place,' Steven A Brown, a partner at the Houston-based immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, wrote in a post on his firm's website. Additionally, the fee must be paid on top of a 'Form I-94 fee,' which the One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased from $6 to $24. That fee must be paid by anyone who is required to submit a Form I-94 arrival and departure record, which applies to most travellers. How can travellers get reimbursed? To get their money back, visa holders must comply with the conditions of the visa, which includes 'not accept[ing] unauthorised employment,' and not overstay the visa validity date by more than five days, according to the provision. Reimbursements will be made after the travel visa expires, it says. What isn't known The fee has not yet been implemented, according to Brown. It is not clear when it will begin. 'I believe it would need a regulation, or at least a notice in the Federal Register, regarding implementation on collection,' said Brown. It is also unclear how travellers will pay the fee, the US Travel Association told CNBC. 'The bill directs the DHS Secretary to charge the fee, but DHS does not own the visa application, issuance or renewal process — so where and when would DHS collect the fee?' the spokesperson said. In response to CNBC's enquires, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: 'The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation.' More questions surround how and when the reimbursement process kicks in. Since many visas are valid for several years, the US Congressional Budget Office said it expects 'a small number of people would seek reimbursement.' Moreover, 'CBO expects that the Department of State would need several years to implement a process for providing reimbursements. On that basis, CBO estimates that enacting the provision would increase revenues and decrease the deficit by $28.9 billion over the 2025‑2034 period.' Brown said he is advising clients to treat the fee as nonrefundable. 'If you get it back, great. But it is usually difficult to get money back from the government,' he said. 'I would rather them view it as a 'bonus' if they get the refund.' The purpose of the fee 'President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation's immigration system,' a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNBC. Data shows most visa holders comply with their visa terms. For the fiscal years between 2016 and 2022, between 1 and 2 per cent of nonimmigrant visitors overstayed their visas in the United States, according to the US Congressional Research Service. However, an estimated 42 per cent of the approximately 11 million unauthorised population living in the United States entered the country legally, but overstayed their period of admission, the data shows. Effect on incoming travellers Brown said the visa integrity fee will likely impact B visa holders — or leisure and business travellers — and international students more than other types of travellers. 'For B visa holders, they may not want to add an additional $250 per person to their trip costs,' he said. The new fee, plus the I-94 fee, come as the United States prepares to host several major events in 2026, including the 'America 250' celebration, in honour of the country's 250th anniversary, and parts of the FIFA World Cup. These hurdles are compounded by problems at Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation that promotes inbound travel into the United States, which saw the One Big Beautiful Bill Act slash its funding from $100 million to $20 million. The cuts came after the US Commerce Department fired nearly half of Brand USA's board members in April. In a statement, Fred Dixon, the organisation's president and CEO, said it is 'disappointed' with the cuts yet hopeful that the funds will be restored for the fiscal year 2026. 'We remain focused on growing legitimate international inbound travel and the vital boost it provides to the US economy,' he said. Ahead of the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, US Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman praised the bill's contributions to US infrastructure, air traffic control and border security. But, he added: 'The smart investments in the travel process make foolish new fees on foreign visitors and reductions to Brand USA, America's promotion arm, that much harder to swallow.'
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Zoom in': Australian celebrities Lisa Wilkinson and Hamish Blake spoof viral ‘kiss cam' drama
A pair of Australian celebrities, Lisa Wilkinson and Hamish Blake, have hilariously spoofed the moment an American tech CEO was caught hugging a woman who was not his wife at a Coldplay concert. Wilkinson and Blake were in the audience for one of the stops on American stand-up comedian Nikki Glaser's tour of Australia. And all individuals involved apparently decided to have some fun. During her set, Glaser offered up her own version of the kiss cam that caught out Andy Byron, CEO of the company Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the business's chief people officer. 'Let's see if we have one more we can find. Can we zoom in?' Glaser asked as the camera focused on Blake and Wilkinson, who were pretending to be intimate. 'Is that ... is that ... is that Hamish and Lisa!? Oooooh, busted! Someone call Zoe right now. What the f***?' Blake is, of course, married to author and entrepreneur Zoe Foster Blake. Wilkinson is married to the former rugby player Peter FitzSimons. The clip of Mr Byron and Ms Cabot enjoying Coldplay's performance together, then ducking for cover upon being shown on the big screen, has gone viral this week. The scandal ended with Mr Byron resigning from his role at Astronomer. 'As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,' the company said in a statement. 'Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met. 'Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive.' Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is serving as interim CEO. The video of Mr Byron and Ms Cabot quickly went viral after being shared on TikTok. 'Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy,' Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin quipped to the crowd. 'Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI,' Astronomer said. 'While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. 'We're continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems.' Mr Byron's job reportedly paid him between $717,000 and a million dollars per year, plus performance-based bonuses.
The Age
10 hours ago
- The Age
The start-up making drugs in space, then sending them to Australia at 30,870km/h
When it comes to the future, you have to ask: are we there yet? For example, is it possible that space capsules are orbiting the Earth – while they make advanced drug compounds? And then the same capsules are returning to terra firma after travelling at 25 times the speed of sound into our atmosphere? Why, yes ... And when they return to Earth, they are returning to Australia? Yes, again. 'It's actually much less futuristic than it sounds,' says Will Bruey, CEO of Varda Industries, the company launching the drug-factory capsules. 'On average three SpaceX Starlink satellites are launched per day, and our spacecraft is simpler, quite frankly, than a Starlink satellite,' he says. And, while it's early days for California-based Varda, founded in 2021, the pace of launch for these capsules – whose journey takes them from the US, to low earth orbit, to a South Australian testing range for recovery – is expected to increase. The start-up is attempting to create a viable business of manufacturing drugs in space, where the lack of gravity unlocks the possibility of new, more effective – and more profitable – drug compounds that can't be made on Earth. Being in space, the limits on the scale of manufacturing are different to an Earth-bound enterprise – both in the molecular quality of what can be produced and, potentially one day, the scale of the production facility. For now, the company's future depends on how effectively and profitably it can formulate drugs – or at least the most effective primary active pharmaceutical ingredient – in orbit. When discussing drug production, Bruey compares microgravity (ultra-low gravity in orbit) to the effect that refrigeration has had on drug production since it was invented. Before refrigeration existed, people would have asked, how could it create value for pharmaceuticals? Today, refrigeration is a fundamental part of drug and vaccine manufacturing, shipping and storage. It reduces the risk of contamination and helps ensure the drugs are effective. Profitable drug manufacturing would be almost unthinkable without it. One day, space-based drugs may be discussed the same way. 'The way the pharmaceutical industry will think about [Varda] shortly is just another piece of equipment.' Even the name of the spacecraft – the W in Varda's W-series capsule – unofficially stands for 'Winnebago' (or caravan in American English) used in TV series Breaking Bad, which is itself a story about the remote, compartmentalised cooking up of drugs. 'Instead of going to the desert, we're going to space,' Bruey said. Likewise, Varda is hauling its equipment to a destination to make its batch, then coming back. 'So that's what we'll be doing. And we'll just be increasing the amount of Winnebagos that are going out to space and back.' 'There's a lot of low-hanging fruit and optimisation to be done in that paradigm.' Any drug with a formulation improvement worth more than $US200 a gram is viable for Varda to manufacture today. But Varda forecasts it can drive down the cost from $US200 to $US20 'pretty easily by just making our systems more reusable'. To push lower than that, the company will construct a permanent station with manufacturing equipment that can be used for multiple drugs, Bruey says. Much of the science around drugmaking in space has been done. There have been numerous experiments on pharmaceuticals, for example, on the International Space Station. Varda hopes to have a space-made drug in humans by the end of the decade. In an era of sagging productivity, it's worth considering the value of genre-melding new ventures. The question is: how much demand is there for a service that is new to the world? And on Earth – in Australia – how many re-entries could we see? Adelaide-based company, Southern Launch, was formed in 2017 as a spaceport operator providing launch services. It has since begun offering orbital re-entry services for customers like Varda. Their range, at Koonibba in South Australia, enjoys clearer skies with less air traffic than test ranges in the US, giving more flexibility to Varda and other clients, Southern Launch says. Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said the missions conducted for Varda so far, 'mark an incredible step forward for Australia as the global landing site for re-entries and the in-space manufactured goods the capsules carry.' Investing in an unproven business model is riskier than investing in say, inner city residential property. But Bruey sees Varda as carving out a niche that can expand as demand grows. 'Basically, there's only four fundamental forces of physics, and gravity is one of them, and we have a knob on [it], and no other company does.' (If you're wondering, the three other forces are: electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces). Bruey knows about physics because he studied the subject at Cornell University before founding a couple of companies and working at Elon Musk's SpaceX. Bruey then met up with Delian Asparouhov, who was looking to invest in a company that could do this work. Asparouhov was looking for someone with Bruey's background and who 'was willing to drop everything and go on this adventure'. Varda now has backing from Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Caffeinated Capital, Founders Fund, and General Catalyst. It has raised $US187 million in a new funding round this month, bringing the total capital raised to $US329 million. The bet that money can be made by low-orbit manufacturing has caught the attention of SpaceX, which reportedly has plans to get into the space-drug game by manufacturing too. Elon Musk's company plans to use its massive – and recently unlucky – Starship rocket for the purpose, according to Bloomberg. Sources close to Varda call the report about SpaceX's plan, called Starfall, a 'validation' of Varda's business model. Like SpaceX, Varda's goal isn't science, it's business: advanced, space-tech business, with the potential to unlock a huge new market that could one day involve large in-orbit factories. The in-space manufacturing market could be worth $US10 billion in five years, according to McKinsey. But exploiting a fundamental force of physics for profit comes with some hard realities. If you send the capsule into space, you must find a reliable place to recover the spacecraft – closing the loop on the production process. That's where Australia comes in. Varda's first craft W-1, launched in June 2023, was due to return in July, but instead got delayed as the company sought permission for the landing in Utah. It remained in orbit for eight months while the details of a new license were resolved between government authorities. While W-1 was in orbit, Varda reached out to Australia's space industry, looking for reliable space return services. W-1's February 2024 return coincided with Varda being granted a 'Part 450 re-entry license' from the FAA's Office of Space Transportation, part of a new process to accommodate repeated missions common in commercial space. Varda now has a FAA license which allows the company to launch and re-enter a craft without spelling out the identical parameters of the mission on repeated applications. When Varda's W-2 landed in South Australia, Enrico Palermo, head of the Australian Space Agency said it highlighted 'the opportunity for Australia to become a responsible launch and return hub for the global space community, capitalising off the geographic advantages of our expansive continent.' Unlike crewed missions, which must gently skim into the atmosphere without burning up to bring humans safely home, Varda's missions comes in 'ballistically, as if it's like a missile'. In that phase, the Winnebagos achieve Mach 25, twenty-five times the speed of sound, or 30,870 kilometres per hour. Varda has attached a camera to the capsule to capture the dramatic re-entry footage, which looks something like a gas log on overdrive. In space. The pink glow you see is plasma, Bruey says, from the capsule moving so fast and creating so much heat 'it's literally ripping the molecules in the atmosphere apart and ripping away their electrons'. 'The streaks of what looks like fire is the heat shield 'ablating', that is the little pieces coming off intentionally to take away the heat, shedding it from the spacecraft.' So far, Varda has created a crystal form of an HIV drug ritonavir in space. It has research collaborations with large pharma brands, whose names Varda would not give, citing non-disclosure agreements. W-2 and W-3 landed in February and May 2025 at Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. W-4 is currently in orbit. Varda says it is on track for four missions in 2025 – with plans to expand to a double-capsule mission in 2026. From there, the pace is expected to increase to a weekly pace. Veteran space industry observer and contributor Brett Biddington says Australia is 'well-suited to support the recovery of payloads from space' with a historical record that is 'unblemished'. 'Whether a viable business can be made just from recovery support is another question,' he says. He expects that the 'activity will be lumpy and sporadic' and can best thought of as a 'supplementary income stream' to one that is more reliable. Varda's plan isn't to create a new business alone, but the industry needed to support and grow the enterprise. With the capsules going up and coming back, we will soon know if Varda is successful.
