The significant new commitment follows introduction of legislation establishing the Net Zero Economy Authority to help catalyse investment in a clean energy future made in Australia’s regions.
Solar SunShot will help Australia capture more of the global solar manufacturing supply chain through support, including production subsidies, the Albanese government claims.
This would help ensure more solar panels are made in Australia, including in the Hunter Region, where the Prime Minister made the announcement at the site of the former coal-fired Liddell Power Station. While one in three Australian households have solar panels - the highest uptake in the world - only 1 per cent of those have been made in Australia.
Over $40 billion of investment „to make Australia a renewable energy superpower“
In parallel with Solar Sunshot, the NSW Labor Government is delivering the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative, with the $275 million first round now open to support workers, small businesses, manufacturers and innovators to take advantage of the transformation of our energy grid. In the second round, the NSW Labor Government will work with industry to leverage government procurement to offer offtake agreements to local manufacturers of renewable products and low carbon materials.
Initiatives like Solar SunShot and the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative, mean the regions that have long powered the country will continue to prosper in the net zero economy by deepening the industrial; base, largely located in the regions. The $1 billion federal investment in the Solar Sunshot program builds on over $40 billion of investment committed by the Australian Government to make Australia a renewable energy superpower.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will now work with industry to design and deliver this initiative, along with the Australian Government. ARENA will look at the entire supply chain from ingots and wafers to cells, module assembly, and related components, including solar glass, inverters, advanced deployment technology and solar innovation. The consultation is expected to commence in mid-April.
This complements other processes underway such as the Hydrogen Headstart program also administered by ARENA.
Albanese: „I want a future made in Australia“
“Australia should not be the last link in a global supply chain built on an Australian invention“, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “I want a future made in Australia. And I want a future made in our regions. We have every metal and critical mineral necessary to be a central player in the net zero transformation, and a proven track record as a reliable energy producer and exporter. We can also invest in strategic manufacturing capability, particularly in components critical to the energy and economic transition, like solar panels“, he added.
See also: India: Strong growth of PV manufacturing capacity
“Australian research helped invent the modern solar panel – today’s announcement is about creating Australian jobs to help manufacture them. We know that the world’s climate emergency is Australia’s jobs opportunity, $1 billion to support Australian manufacturing in solar technology will help seize that opportunity“, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen underlined. “Solar panels were our idea, we should be making them here and that’s what we’ll do. Aussie know-how is creating Aussie jobs, that’s what a future made in Australia is all about“, Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic said.
See also: End of European PV production?
“We will leverage our government procurement spend to build in offtake agreements with local solar manufacturers and foster the industry’s growth. For every job created in manufacturing there are a further three-and-a-half jobs sustained in the supply chain“, NSW Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos underlined. (hcn)
