The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed AU$25.3 million (US$16.53 million) in funding to support PV cell technology startup SunDrive Solar’s continued development of copper-based solar cell technology.
The funding will enable SunDrive to scale up its copper metallization process from the laboratory to commercial production, aiming to achieve cost reductions and efficiency improvements in heterojunction solar cell manufacturing.
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The technology replaces traditional silver metallization with copper, potentially reducing material costs while maintaining or improving cell performance.
SunDrive’s copper metallization approach addresses one of the solar industry’s key cost challenges, as silver represents a significant portion of solar cell production expenses.
The company’s technology applies copper contacts directly to silicon wafers, eliminating the need for expensive silver paste while achieving comparable electrical performance.
The ARENA commitment builds on previous AU$11 million funding the agency provided to SunDrive for early-stage technology development. The increased investment reflects the technology’s progression through development milestones and its potential for commercial deployment.
SunDrive has established strategic partnerships to accelerate the commercialisation of technology and scale up manufacturing. The company partnered with Chinese firms for rapid scale-up of heterojunction solar cells, leveraging international expertise in high-volume solar cell production while maintaining its Australian technology base.
The funding announcement follows SunDrive’s formation of a manufacturing joint venture with Trina Solar, one of the world’s largest solar panel manufacturers. Trina Solar and SunDrive combined home-grown innovation with experience in Australian solar manufacturing, creating a pathway for large-scale production of copper-based solar cells in Australia.
SunDrive has also undergone organisational changes as it transitions from research and development to commercial operations. The company confirmed job cuts as it sharpened its focus on core technology development and manufacturing partnerships, reflecting the challenges facing emerging solar technology companies in scaling operations.
The copper metallization technology targets heterojunction solar cells, which combine crystalline silicon with thin-film layers to achieve higher efficiency than conventional solar cells.
SunDrive’s approach maintains the performance advantages of heterojunction technology while addressing cost barriers that have limited widespread adoption.
ARENA’s investment strategy focuses on technologies that can achieve commercial viability while supporting Australia’s renewable energy manufacturing capabilities.
The funding for SunDrive aligns with government objectives to establish domestic solar manufacturing capacity and reduce dependence on imported photovoltaic components.
The ARENA funding will support pilot-scale production facilities and process optimisation to demonstrate the commercial viability of copper metallization technology. The investment includes provisions for technology validation, manufacturing equipment, and workforce development to support scaled production.
Meanwhile, SunDrive’s partnerships with Chinese manufacturers provide access to established supply chains and production expertise, while maintaining control over its intellectual property for the copper metallisation process. This approach enables technology commercialisation without requiring complete vertical integration of manufacturing operations.
