SunDrive Solar partners with Capral Aluminium for Australian solar PV supply chain

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The partnership will support domestic supply chains for solar PV. Image: SunDrive Solar.

Australian PV cell technology startup SunDrive Solar has partnered with Capral Aluminium to build a sustainable and domestic supply chain for solar PV in Australia.

The collaboration aims to improve the competitiveness of local solar PV module production while significantly decreasing its environmental impact. By sourcing aluminium from Capral, SunDrive aims to increase the stability and reliability of its production processes, mitigating risks associated with global supply chain disruptions.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Natalie Malligan, CEO of SunDrive believes the partnership showcases SunDrive’s commitment to a future made in Australia.

“The opportunity to source local and low-carbon aluminium through Capral has the potential to not only support Australian jobs and businesses but create a unique, Australian product that supports Australian jobs and enhance the resilience and sustainability of our production process,” Malligan said.

Based in South Sydney, New South Wales, SunDrive Solar received AU$11 million (US$7.6 million) from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) last year and underwent a restructuring of the company in August. The restructuring aimed to help streamline the organisation’s operations, improve its solar technology and navigate a commercial route to market through partnerships.

SunDrive’s novel solar cell technology replaces the silver traditionally used in solar cell production with copper, a material that is orders of magnitude cheaper and more abundant than silver. Using copper for solar metallisation could result in solar module production that is cheaper and more efficient than current standards. Copper is also easier to recycle than silver and less energy is required in this process.

The use of silver is projected to become a concern for the PV industry. By 2050, it is forecasted that solar manufacturing will consume up to 98% of the world’s silver reserves if silver continues to be a prominent metal component.

For Capral, the partnership with SunDrive Solar is similar to one it struck with Australian module manufacturer Tindo Solar earlier this year. Under the terms of the agreement, Capral will supply extruded aluminium for Tindo’s locally produced solar PV modules in Australia.

The collaboration has the potential for further expansion to support Tindo’s future gigafactory, located in Adelaide, South Australia.

SunDrive recently inked a partnership with Chinese solar manufacturer Trina Solar. The two will establish a joint venture with plans to scale manufacturing opportunities in Australia.

A company statement declared that the JV will combine SunDrive’s use of copper and Trina Solar’s global manufacturing expertise and n-type technology.

Commenting on the partnership with SunDrive, Mark Murray, sales and market manager – industrial solutions for Capral, said: “We truly believe in supporting their ambitions for domestic manufacturing and supply chains. We’re committed to exploring advanced manufacturing and automation solutions to meet the growing demands for SunDrive’s and Trina Solar’s modules, ensuring we remain competitive in the global market.”

Read Next

August 22, 2025
The Australian Renewables Income Fund (ARIF), a renewable energy fund managed by Foresight Group, has raised AU$700 million (US$779 million) in a debt refinancing transaction.
August 22, 2025
AEMO has predicted the NEM will see a steady rise in renewable energy generation capacity, reaching 229TWh by 2035.
August 21, 2025
JA Solar's CTO, Zi Ouyang, discusses the company's latest module technologies and why the future is tandem.
August 21, 2025
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), through its renewable energy arm NTPC Green Energy, has commissioned 212.5MW of solar capacity at its 1.25GW Khavda-I project. 
August 20, 2025
Silicon Ranch is building a 100MW solar plant in South Carolina that will supply power to Meta's first data centre in the state.
August 20, 2025
US microinverter manufacturer Enphase Energy has signed a safe harbour deal to secure residential solar tax credits, the second such deal the company has made this month.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines