he Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is investing an additional AU$95.4 million in funding for the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) to secure Australia’s leadership in solar PV research and innovation.
Led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), ACAP functions as a premier national research consortium. It unites elite institutions including the Australian National University, CSIRO, and the Universities of Melbourne, Monash, Queensland and Sydney.
The capital injection will extend the centre’s world-leading solar photovoltaic (PV) research pipeline out to 2033.
The long-term funding horizon focuses heavily on accelerating breakthroughs in next-generation tandem solar cells alongside high-efficiency commercial modules.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, noted the importance of keeping domestic intellectual property on home soil.
“Australia helped lead the world in solar and we want to keep leading the world in the next wave of solar innovation,” Bowen said.
“Building more of this expertise here at home makes Australia stronger, more secure and better placed for the future.”
Over the past decade, ACAP has driven critical commercial improvements in global solar cell durability and manufacturing affordability.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said that pushing the absolute boundaries of cell efficiency is non-negotiable if the nation is to achieve its target of ultra-low-cost solar power.
“This work underpins ARENA’s strategy to make solar the backbone of Australia’s net zero energy system,” Miller said.
“If Australia is to achieve ultra low-cost solar, we need to keep pushing the limits of cell efficiency. ACAP’s work is doing exactly that, helping deliver high-performance solar cell and module technologies that will reduce costs at scale.”
Beyond engineering breakthroughs, the extended program acts as a vital workforce incubator, training the next generation of engineers and PhD students to support the booming clean energy ecosystem.
“This significant investment provides a long-term research horizon and positions Australia to build on its success in developing the technologies and talent needed to deliver on next-generation solar technologies,” said ACAP Executive Director, Professor Renate Egan.
