ARENA Commits AU$60 Million to Drive Ultra-Low-Cost Solar Innovation for Australia's Renewable Energy Future
Key Insights
ARENA has committed AU$60 million to new research and development, focusing on achieving ultra-low-cost solar across cell, module, balance of system, and operational innovations.
The funding aims to realize Australia's '30-30-30' solar vision, targeting 30% module efficiency and an installed cost of 30 cents per watt by 2030, leading to an LCOE below AU$20/MWh.
This initiative supports ARENA's AU$100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge, which recently awarded AU$4.9 million to Luminous for its AI-powered LUMI robot, designed to automate utility-scale solar installation.
These investments are crucial for Australia to meet its net-zero emissions targets and solidify its position as a global renewable energy superpower through accelerated, cost-effective solar deployment.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced a substantial AU$60 million (US$39.4 million) funding initiative aimed at accelerating research and development (R&D) efforts to achieve ultra-low-cost solar. This strategic investment, evenly distributed across two streams focusing on advanced cells and modules, and innovations in balance of systems (BOS) alongside operation and maintenance (O&M), is central to Australia's ambitious clean energy transition.
ARENA's vision for ultra-low-cost solar is encapsulated in its '30-30-30' approach, targeting 30% solar module efficiency and an installed cost of 30 cents per watt by 2030. This would drive the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) below AU$20 per megawatt hour, a critical threshold for establishing Australia as a global renewable energy superpower. Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA, emphasized the rapid evolution of solar PV and its foundational role in the nation's energy future, underscoring the necessity of sustained investment in innovation.
This new R&D funding complements ARENA's broader efforts, including the AU$100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge, which commenced on June 19, 2024. This challenge invites international experts, including financiers, engineers, and developers, to address barriers in the installation, operation, and maintenance of utility-scale solar PV projects. A notable success story from this initiative is robotics company Luminous, which recently secured AU$4.9 million (US$3.2 million) to deploy its 'LUMI' technology.
The LUMI robot represents a significant leap in solar construction automation. This AI-powered pick-and-place solution autonomously installs solar modules onto racking structures, allowing onsite workers to focus on final securing processes. This innovation promises to reduce manual labor, enhance installation speed, improve safety, and significantly boost cost-efficiency for large-scale solar developments. Luminous has partnered with Equans, a global engineering, procurement, and construction firm, to implement LUMI at two major Australian utility-scale solar PV plants: Neoen’s 440MW Culcairn facility in New South Wales and Engie’s 250MW Goorambat East project in Victoria. These deployments highlight the practical application of cutting-edge R&D in achieving Australia's ultra-low-cost solar objectives and accelerating its renewable energy capacity expansion.