‘Great opportunity’ for Qld in $1bn solar panel program

The $1 billion Solar Sunshot drive to develop solar panel manufacturing in Australia represents a great opportunity for Queensland, a peak industry body says. Queensland Renewable Energy Council chief executive officer Katie-Anne Mulder said the group supported the industry development initiative, which was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Hunter Region today. "This initiative is a great opportunity for Queensland, who are already making strides to manufacture transition technology components in the regions," she said. "The Queensland Government and industry are working to deliver $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. The plan aims to not only deliver the projects and generate up to 80 per cent renewable energy by 2035, but to build up local capacity to supply and maintain these projects. "Queensland is blessed with many of the critical minerals and polysilicon that these renewable technologies will need." Polysilicon is a basic building block for solar panels and computer chips. Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners proposes to develop a multibillion-dollar polysilicon manufacturing facility outside Townsville powered by renewable energy and drawing on North Queensland silica quartz as a feedstock. It was announced this week that Project Green Poly had been declared a prescribed project, meaning the Queensland Coordinator-General will work with local governments and regulators to help progress the development. Related: State smooths path for Eva mine, Townsville plant Diatreme Resources chief executive officer Neil McIntyre said that company, advancing plans for silica sand mining on Cape York, was looking forward to examining the detail behind this initiative. "The 'Pit to Panel' concept will be a challenge, but as a key potential supplier to the establishment of a domestic solar panel manufacturing industry we look forward to playing our part with our high purity silica sand resources in Far North Queensland." Related: FNQ project attracts major PV glass manufacturer The Solar Sunshot program will be delivered by ARENA, with development and design to be carried out collaboration with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). ARENA said Solar Sunshot was intended to provide support across the solar PV supply chain, including the scaling up of module manufacturing capabilities and exploration of other areas of the supply chain where grant funding could help kickstart the industry. This could include polysilicon, ingots and wafers, cells, module assembly, and other parts of the solar supply chain, including solar glass, advanced deployment technology, or other aspects identified through industry consultation. “Australia has the opportunity to build high quality products across the solar PV supply chain," ARENA chief executive officer Darren Miller said. "Although we have a very small production capability today, we have the skills and the partnerships to establish a strong base that can be built on over the next decade." Coinciding with the Prime Minister's Solar Sunshot announcement came news that AGL and solar technology company SunDrive have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility in the Hunter Region. This agreement is the latest partnership AGL has signed as the company transforms the Liddell Power Station and Bayswater Power Station sites into a low-carbon integrated energy hub, following the closure of Liddell Power Station in April 2023 You might also like: https://industryqld.com.au/coordinated-project-status-for-diatreme-silica-plans/ https://industryqld.com.au/diatreme-off-and-running-on-takeover-bid/

‘Great opportunity’ for Qld in $1bn solar panel program

Industry Queensland

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