SunDrive Solar welcomes the announcement today by the Federal Government of the $1bn Solar Sunshot to support the establishment of a domestic solar manufacturing industry.
SunDrive’s Co-founder & CEO, Vince Allen, said “Australia is the solar technology powerhouse of the world, and today’s announcement means that Australia can not only continue to drive world-leading innovation, but can retain the economic value of the IP, jobs, and talent that come with advanced manufacturing.”
SunDrive also welcomes the NSW Government's commitment to support local manufacturing by leveraging government procurement through offtake agreements, which will help put NSW-made solar on the rooftops of NSW.
Today, SunDrive was pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AGL Energy Hubs to establish our first commercial-scale advanced manufacturing facility at AGL Hunter Energy Hub in Muswellbrook. This world-class facility will produce hundreds of thousands of panels, scaling to millions, and creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs.
As part of this agreement SunDrive and AGL are negotiating a material offtake agreement for the purchase of SunDrive’s high-performing solar modules. Offtake agreements play a vital role in supporting renewable energy investment and we welcome the opportunity to provide Australian made solar panels containing world-leading solar technology to one of Australia’s largest solar distributors and installers.
On the announcement, Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP said, “These panels, this technology that SunDrive has developed, is the most efficient in the world. Why wouldn't you take that opportunity and pair it with AGL's vision that they have, with my government's commitment, with the New South Wales government's commitment to manufacture more things here, whether it's solar panels or train carriages or ferries, or other goods that are used here in New South Wales, and have a future made right here in Australia? That's what the billion-dollar SunShot program is about.”
As a country, Australia has one of, if not the greatest economic opportunities as the world decarbonises. Australia has the natural competitive advantages in the development and manufacture of solar, including demonstrated innovation capability, world-leading talent, abundant minerals and metals, and access to cheap renewable energy.
“Establishing a resilient solar supply chain in Australia, the first step of which has been taken today, will help strengthen our energy independence while delivering the economic diversification needed to drive Australia’s energy transformation,” said Vince.
“And SunDrive is proud to be at the forefront of the technological innovation required to unlock solar’s full potential – increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving sustainability to make the world’s best solar,” said Vince.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon Chris Bowen MP said “It’s a proud day…The modern solar panel was invented in Australia, at the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University. They are in roofs around the world, but they're not made here. That ends today.”
The AGL Hunter Energy Hub and the Hunter region have the vision, skills and workforce needed to help drive this ambition.
SunDrive’s world-leading solar technology has received global interest and there is material export potential.
NSW Minister for Finance, Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement and Natural Resources, the Hon Courtney Houssos MLC said “NSW will develop offtake agreements for solar panel manufacturing. This is a new and innovative way of leveraging our government procurement spend. What we will do is gather together the spending capacity of the NSW Government and use it to foster local manufacturing opportunities.”
Minister Houssos congratulated SunDrive on the announcement and said “This is the kind of economic diversification we want to see as we build towards a clean energy future, fostering those local manufacturing opportunities right here in the Hunter.”
Vince Allen, CEO & Founder of SunDrive Solar said “SunDrive is proud to be at the forefront of what's possible, not only in unlocking solar's full potential with our world-leading, industry-first direct copper-plating solar technology, but at demonstrating the immense potential of solar manufacturing in Australia.”
“SunDrive is excited to be working with AGL, one of the country’s largest solar distributors and installers, to bring world-leading Australian made solar to Australian rooftops through an offtake agreement. SunDrive is exploring the opportunity of a facility at AGL’s Hunter Energy Hub thanks to the vision, skills and workforce of the region that are critical to achieving Australia’s renewable energy superpower ambition.”
AGL Managing Director and CEO, Damien Nicks, said “Our vision for the Hunter Energy Hub is to create an integrated hub that brings together industries that can make a positive contribution to the energy transition, including renewable energy generation, grid-scale batteries, green advanced manufacturing, and associated industries,” he said.
“Our partnership with SunDrive has the potential to deliver significant benefits for Australia’s energy transition. If successful we will create new jobs and careers in the renewables industry as together, we build a new solar manufacturing industry right here in the NSW Upper Hunter region.”
SunDrive’s final investment decision will be subject to validating financial and technical feasibility of the AGL Hunter Energy Hub site and securing sufficient Australian Government support to establish a large-scale facility.
SunDrive also welcomes the NSW Government's commitment to support local manufacturing by leveraging government procurement through offtake agreements, which will help put NSW-made solar on the rooftops of NSW.
Today, SunDrive was pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AGL Energy Hubs to establish our first commercial-scale advanced manufacturing facility at AGL Hunter Energy Hub in Muswellbrook. This world-class facility will produce hundreds of thousands of panels, scaling to millions, and creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs.
As part of this agreement SunDrive and AGL are negotiating a material offtake agreement for the purchase of SunDrive’s high-performing solar modules. Offtake agreements play a vital role in supporting renewable energy investment and we welcome the opportunity to provide Australian made solar panels containing world-leading solar technology to one of Australia’s largest solar distributors and installers.
On the announcement, Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP said, “These panels, this technology that SunDrive has developed, is the most efficient in the world. Why wouldn't you take that opportunity and pair it with AGL's vision that they have, with my government's commitment, with the New South Wales government's commitment to manufacture more things here, whether it's solar panels or train carriages or ferries, or other goods that are used here in New South Wales, and have a future made right here in Australia? That's what the billion-dollar SunShot program is about.”
As a country, Australia has one of, if not the greatest economic opportunities as the world decarbonises. Australia has the natural competitive advantages in the development and manufacture of solar, including demonstrated innovation capability, world-leading talent, abundant minerals and metals, and access to cheap renewable energy.
“Establishing a resilient solar supply chain in Australia, the first step of which has been taken today, will help strengthen our energy independence while delivering the economic diversification needed to drive Australia’s energy transformation,” said Vince.
“And SunDrive is proud to be at the forefront of the technological innovation required to unlock solar’s full potential – increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving sustainability to make the world’s best solar,” said Vince.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon Chris Bowen MP said “It’s a proud day…The modern solar panel was invented in Australia, at the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University. They are in roofs around the world, but they're not made here. That ends today.”
The AGL Hunter Energy Hub and the Hunter region have the vision, skills and workforce needed to help drive this ambition.
SunDrive’s world-leading solar technology has received global interest and there is material export potential.
NSW Minister for Finance, Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement and Natural Resources, the Hon Courtney Houssos MLC said “NSW will develop offtake agreements for solar panel manufacturing. This is a new and innovative way of leveraging our government procurement spend. What we will do is gather together the spending capacity of the NSW Government and use it to foster local manufacturing opportunities.”
Minister Houssos congratulated SunDrive on the announcement and said “This is the kind of economic diversification we want to see as we build towards a clean energy future, fostering those local manufacturing opportunities right here in the Hunter.”
Vince Allen, CEO & Founder of SunDrive Solar said “SunDrive is proud to be at the forefront of what's possible, not only in unlocking solar's full potential with our world-leading, industry-first direct copper-plating solar technology, but at demonstrating the immense potential of solar manufacturing in Australia.”
“SunDrive is excited to be working with AGL, one of the country’s largest solar distributors and installers, to bring world-leading Australian made solar to Australian rooftops through an offtake agreement. SunDrive is exploring the opportunity of a facility at AGL’s Hunter Energy Hub thanks to the vision, skills and workforce of the region that are critical to achieving Australia’s renewable energy superpower ambition.”
AGL Managing Director and CEO, Damien Nicks, said “Our vision for the Hunter Energy Hub is to create an integrated hub that brings together industries that can make a positive contribution to the energy transition, including renewable energy generation, grid-scale batteries, green advanced manufacturing, and associated industries,” he said.
“Our partnership with SunDrive has the potential to deliver significant benefits for Australia’s energy transition. If successful we will create new jobs and careers in the renewables industry as together, we build a new solar manufacturing industry right here in the NSW Upper Hunter region.”
SunDrive’s final investment decision will be subject to validating financial and technical feasibility of the AGL Hunter Energy Hub site and securing sufficient Australian Government support to establish a large-scale facility.