The federal government has announced an $11 million investment for an Australian solar technology developer to manufacture efficient solar modules.
The investment from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency will allow SunDrive to scale up its advanced production line for copper metallised PV cells.
The $33.6 million project will also help the company employ around 100 people by the end of the year at its manufacturing facility in Sydney, New South Wales. SunDrive is expected to employ over 500 people as production increases across Australia.
Using PV cell metallisation instead of silver reduces solar installation costs by 20-30 per cent, according to the company.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the investment will play a significant role in the state’s energy transition.
“The Albanese Government knows that local clean-energy manufacturing isn’t only good for local jobs, but for energy security too – investments like today’s in SunDrive, and our National Reconstruction Fund – are about making more things here,” Bowen said.
“Australian ingenuity helped create the modern solar panel, and with local technology breakthroughs into Ultra-low cost solar – we can drive even more affordable energy into our energy market, and energy markets around the world.”
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