Australian solar innovator SunDrive has secured up to $25.3 million in new funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
Awarded under ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program, the investment will allow SunDrive to collaborate with global equipment manufacturers Maxwell and Vistar to scale its copper metallisation technology from its research and development (R&D) base at Kurnell, New South Wales, to a 300 megawatt (MW) commercial-scale production tool.
SunDrive’s copper-based process replaces silver in solar cells, a shift that promises to significantly cut manufacturing costs while boosting efficiency. With solar now consuming around one-third of global industrial silver supply and silver prices nearly tripling in recent years, the company’s technology represents one of the most significant cost-reduction pathways aligned to ARENA’s Ultra Low-Cost Solar priorities.
Scaling local innovation
The ARENA funding will support SunDrive to upgrade its Kurnell facility for the development, deployment and refinement of industrial-scale production tools. It will also fund cost modelling work to support the technology’s commercialisation pathway.
Modules produced at the facility will undergo in-field testing and early market validation. These are deemed crucial steps towards widespread adoption and the creation of new licensing revenue streams for the homegrown company.
Darren Miller, Chief Executive Officer at ARENA, said the agency has watched SunDrive evolve from a startup in a Sydney garage to a leader in global solar innovation.
“By tackling one of the biggest cost items in solar cell manufacturing, SunDrive is demonstrating how Australian research can drive next-generation solar innovation,” he said.
“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.”
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.”
From lab record-breaker to commercial reality
Natalie Malligan, Chief Executive Officer at SunDrive, describes the significance of the announcement for the company’s journey from research leader to market-ready manufacturer.
“It’s a strong validation of our strategy to develop world-class solar innovation here in Australia and partner with the best in the industry to industrialise it,” she said.
“It shows how Australian innovation can compete globally, and how with the right support, we can take homegrown technology to the world.”
Vince Allen, Co-Founder at SunDrive, said the new phase builds on the company’s achievements with Maxwell in cell efficiency.
“This next phase 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,” he said.
“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.”
A decade-long commitment
This project follows ARENA’s previous $14 million investment to help SunDrive’s copper metallisation process. In total, the agency has committed more than $388 million to over 200 solar R&D projects, reinforcing its long-term support of Australian solar innovation.