Australian RE Agency Grants $40 M to Drive Ultra Low Cost Solar

• Ultra low cost solar was lately added as a concern technology in the Australian Government's most current Low Emissions Technology Statement (LETS).
• In support of ultra low cost solar, ARENA has actually set an enthusiastic target of 'Solar 30 30 30', to boost solar cell performance to 30 percent and also lower the complete cost of building and construction of utility scale solar farms to 30 cents per watt by 2030.

On behalf of the Australian Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has today introduced up to $40 million in funding to sustain r & d (R&D) that intends to sustain the success of the Government's ultra low cost solar stretch goal.

The R&D financing round will certainly improve ARENA's previous R&D investment right into solar PV as well as will look for to sustain projects that align with ARENA's Solar 30 30 30 target of 30 percent module efficiency and also 30 cents per mounted watt at utility scale by 2030.

ARENA invites applications that can materially decrease the levelised expense of solar PV by 2030 across 2 streams:

Stream 1-- Cells as well as Modules: Building on Australia's leading track record of R&D and advancement in solar cells and modules.

Stream 2-- Balance of system, operations as well as maintenance: Looking for to widen the technique to speed up development that can drive down the ahead of time and ongoing expenses of utility scale solar PV in the field.

ARENA presently expects to assign up to $20 million in overall funding per of the two streams.

Ultra low cost solar was just recently added as a top priority technology in the Australian Government's most recent Low Emissions Technology Statement (LETS), which established a stretch goal of $15 per megawatt hr, about a 3rd of today's expense.

Ultra low cost solar will be a key input to scaling up production of low cost green hydrogen, in support of the LETS hydrogen goal of "H2 under $2", as well as crucial to unlocking various other decarbonisation pathways for hefty industry including low emission products such as green steel and aluminium.

As part of ARENA's brand-new Investment Plan and on behalf of ultra low cost solar, ARENA has actually set an enthusiastic target of 'Solar 30 30 30', to boost solar cell effectiveness to 30 per cent and also reduce the complete cost of building and construction of utility scale solar farms to 30 cents per watt by 2030.

Considering that 2012, ARENA via its R&D Programs has devoted near to $105 million in grant funding to over 70 projects. In addition to this, ARENA has actually additionally supported the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP with $84 million of financing over one decade.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller claimed the introducing work of solar researchers in Australia will be crucial to driving cost reductions and also enhancing solar cell effectiveness.

" Australia's solar scientists have been leading the globe for decades. Thirty years back, UNSW scientists developed the PERC silicon solar cell, technology which today is the structure of greater than 80 percent of the world's photovoltaic panels.

" That magnum opus continues through ACAP, our universities as well as CSIRO along with clean power startups. Just a couple of months ago, SunDrive-- a start-up started by former UNSW trainees and also currently based in Sydney-- created the globe's most efficient solar cell.

" This $40 million R&D funding round will certainly support Australia's solar researchers and also market to get behind the target of Solar 30 30 30 and also drive the innovation that will provide ultra low cost solar," he said.

" Ultra low cost solar will certainly be a vital component in aiding Australia move in the direction of a lower price, mostly sustainable power system as well as attain the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.".