ARENA aims to boost innovation in solar sector with Solar ScaleUp Challenge

This focus on collaboration in installation, operations, and maintenance.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched its $100m Solar ScaleUp Challenge that invites stakeholders to help in accelerating innovation in large-scale solar and help drive down costs.

In a statement, ARENA said the programme calls for collaboration in the sector, particularly in installation, operations, and maintenance, helping ARENA to achieve its Ultra Low-Cost Solar (ULCS) vision.

“Ultra low-cost solar is critical for reducing electricity costs and decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as industry and transport. It is also a key factor in Australia becoming a renewable energy superpower, a vision which would see Australia playing a major role in supplying our key trading partners with low emissions products such as green iron and hydrogen,” ARENA CEO Darren Miller said.

The challenge is a collaboration with Greenhouse Tech, who has implemented similar programmes, including the NetZero Steel Challenge.

ARENA targets reducing the installed cost of a solar project to just 30 cents per watt and reach a levelised cost of electricity below $20 per megawatt hour by 2030. This could help unlock a total installed capacity of 1 terawatt by 2050.

Aside from this, ARENA is also administering the $1b Solar Sunshot Programme. This aims to grow Australia’s domestic solar PV manufacturing capabilities and commercialising local solar PV innovation.