Solar panel recycling study -- Industry involvement -- Report

(1) As used in this section, "legislative committees" means: (a) the Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee; and (b) the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee. (2) The division shall conduct a study on solar panel recycling in the state. (3) The study described in Subsection (2) shall include: (a) findings for: (i) the available methods and resources for solar panel recycling; (ii) minimizing the amount of hazardous waste generated by solar panel waste; and (iii) the recovery of commercially valuable materials from solar panel waste; and (b) recommendations for: (i) a convenient, safe, and environmentally responsible system to manage solar panel waste; (ii) a sustainable funding mechanism to encourage high solar panel recycling rates and proper waste management practices; (iii) a method to complete a hazardous waste analysis on solar panel waste to determine if the solar panel waste is hazardous; (iv) requiring a utility scale solar project to provide a decommission plan and decommission fee to the division; (v) development of a solar panel waste recycler registration system; (vi) development of a solar panel waste disposal site registration system; (vii) incentivizing the development of solar panel recycling in the state; and (viii) a fee to fund the implementation of the findings and recommendations described in this Subsection (3). (4) In conducting the study described in Subsection (2), the division shall consult with representatives from the following industries: (a) utility-scale solar facilities; (b) small-scale solar entities; and (c) recycling and waste management. (5) The division shall report to the legislative committees: (a) before November 30, 2026, a progress report of the study findings and recommendations described in Subsection (3); and (b) before July 1, 2027, a complete report of the study findings and recommendations described in Subsection (3).