Australian solar panel manufacturer Tindo Solar has thrown its support behind the federal government’s Solar Sunshot initiative, with ambitious plans to apply for funding to establish a new “gigafactory” on the east coast and expand its existing facility in Adelaide.
The company aims to bolster domestic solar panel production and contribute to Australia’s renewable energy goals.
During a visit by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Tindo Solar highlighted its vision for the future of Australian solar manufacturing.
The proposed gigafactory, estimated to cost between $90-100 million, is expected to have an annual production capacity of one gigawatt (1,000 megawatts) of solar panels.
This facility is projected to create 250 new jobs, adding to the expansion plans in Adelaide, which will bring an additional 45 jobs.
Richard Petterson, CEO of Tindo Solar, emphasised the significance of the Solar Sunshot program in making locally manufactured panels more cost-competitive with cheaper imports.
“Countries are shifting their energy systems to renewable sources, and they must maintain a level of sovereign control of those new systems by supporting local manufacturing,” Petterson stated.
He believes that the production credits and support provided by the Sunshot program will help narrow the price gap and enable the scaling of the Australian solar industry.
The Sunshot initiative, which allocates $1 billion over ten years to support solar PV manufacturing, is seen by Tindo Solar as a critical enabler for establishing a domestic solar manufacturing supply chain.
Petterson pointed out that the program relies on production credits, where manufacturers must produce goods before receiving assistance in arrears.
This approach is designed to support the industry as it scales up and becomes increasingly competitive.
The proposed gigafactory is set to produce 7,000 panels per day, aiming to meet the estimated 22,000 panels needed daily to achieve Australia’s 2030 decarbonisation targets.
Tindo Solar is already in discussions with local manufacturers of glass, aluminium, solar cells, and other components to supply the new facility.
“Countries are shifting their energy systems to renewable sources, and they must maintain a level of sovereign control of those new systems by supporting local manufacturing,” said Petterson.
“This means the Australian renewables industry is competing with Beijing, Washington and Brussels. The Sunshot program attempts to neutralise this discrepancy and to have some sovereign capability in our emerging energy system.”
He also noted the enormous potential of the domestic solar market, with the Integrated System Plan (ISP) estimating 70 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar PV and 69 GW of distributed solar PV needed by 2050 to meet domestic electricity demand.
Tindo Solar’s commitment to the Solar Sunshot program underscores the importance of building a sustainable and competitive renewable energy industry in Australia.
Petterson concluded: “This type of short-term support will unlock huge investment in Australia, creating thousands of jobs and ensuring our country shares in more of the benefits of the energy transition.”
