Government of Victoria invests AUS$3 million in solar cell technology R&D

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change in Victoria, Australia, has announced a AUS$3 million investment in solar cell R&D technology development in Melbourne. The venture is a direct result of collaboration between Swinburne University of Technology and China’s Suntech Power Holdings. The Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility at Swinburne has been established through a grant of $3 million from Victoria’s Science Agenda Investment Fund.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to develop clean technologies and renewable energy options that are accessible to all Victorians,” environment, climate change and innovation minister Gavin Jennings said.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“Solar cell technology can play an important role in the switch to renewable energy. Yet to date, take-up has been limited due to cost and relative efficiency factors. This innovative project has the potential to develop solar cells that are significantly more efficient while lowering manufacturing costs. This will make them more accessible to households and communities and increase their contribution to renewable energy generation,” continued Jennings.

Read Next

May 21, 2026
Spanish independent power producer Grenergy has signed a long-term hybrid power purchase agreement (PPA) with US utility Georgia Power.
May 21, 2026
Developers of co-located solar-plus-storage projects need to ensure their projects are designed to ‘solve’ the challenges faced by offtakers.
May 21, 2026
Europe has avoided €10 billion in gas imports since the start of the Iran war thanks to power generated from its solar PV fleet, according to research from SolarPower Europe.
May 21, 2026
A panel at the Renewable Procurement and Revenue Summit in London discussed the benefits of the procurement structure.
May 21, 2026
Panellists addressed the challenges associated with signing a PPA, given the differences in priorities between the parties involved.
May 21, 2026
Norwegian floating solar developer Ocean Sun has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ACEN-Silverwolf to establish a framework for deploying utility-scale floating solar installations across selected Asian markets.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
May 27, 2026
9am BST / 10am CEST
Upcoming Webinars
May 27, 2026
9am BST / 10am CEST
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
June 2, 2026
Johannesburg, South Africa
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
June 3, 2026
National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA