Australian solar technology company SunDrive is getting up to A$25.3 million in new funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). This support will help the company move faster from lab research to bringing its solar technology to the market.
Through the Advancing Renewables Program, the new investment will help SunDrive work with top solar equipment manufacturers, Maxwell and Vistar, to expand its copper-based solar cell technology.
The project will move from research and development at SunDrive’s Kurnell facility in New South Wales to a large-scale 300 MW commercial production setup.
SunDrive uses copper instead of silver in its solar cells to make them cheaper and more efficient. This supports ARENA’s goal of creating ultra low-cost solar energy.
By developing new equipment and upgrading its facility, SunDrive aims to bring this Australian technology into real-world use, helping lower solar panel costs and boost clean energy growth.
“By tackling one of the biggest cost items in solar cell manufacturing, SunDrive is demonstrating how Australian research can drive next-generation solar innovation. Not only is copper more abundant and cheaper than silver, but SunDrive’s unique manufacturing process also results in higher cell and module efficiencies which could have huge benefits for global decarbonisation efforts,” Mr Miller said.
“We’re providing a further $25 million in funding to help scale up SunDrive’s technology which could significantly help push the boundaries of efficiency and affordability and unlock the potential of ultra low-cost solar.”
SunDrive CEO Natalie Malligan said this funding marks a major step in SunDrive’s journey, taking the leap from world-leading research to commercial reality.
SunDrive Co-Founder Vince Allen said together with Maxwell we’ve already broken world records in cell efficiency.
“This next phase builds on that success and represents the culmination of our work to translate our copper plating technology into the industrial tools that will define the next generation of solar cell technology. With silver prices nearly tripling in three years and solar now using a third of global industrial silver, the industry urgently needs a silver-free alternative. With ARENA’s support and our partners’ expertise, this project intends to deliver a scalable mass-production solution.”
The funding for SunDrive supports the government’s goal of building local solar manufacturing capabilities and reducing reliance on imported solar components.
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