Australia’s SunDrive Solar bags AU$25.3 million ARENA funding for copper-based solar cells – PV Tech

Report on SunDrive’s Copper Metallization Technology and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report details the development and commercialization of SunDrive’s innovative copper metallization technology for solar cells. The initiative, supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), significantly contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of energy, industry, and climate action.

Advancing Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7)

Material Innovation for Cost Reduction

• The technology substitutes traditional silver with more abundant and cost-effective copper in the metallization process of solar cells.
• This innovation directly addresses a primary cost driver in photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing, thereby lowering the overall production expense of solar panels.
• By reducing material costs, the technology enhances the affordability of solar energy, accelerating progress towards universal access to clean energy as outlined in SDG 7.

Enhancing Solar Cell Efficiency

• SunDrive’s copper metallization is applied to high-efficiency heterojunction (HJT) solar cells.
• HJT cells combine crystalline silicon with thin-film layers, achieving superior performance over conventional cells.
• This focus on high-efficiency technology ensures maximum energy generation, a key component of providing reliable and sustainable modern energy.

Fostering Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9)

Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing Capabilities

• ARENA’s investment is strategically aimed at building a resilient domestic solar manufacturing industry in Australia.
• The funding supports the establishment of pilot-scale production facilities and process optimization, creating critical infrastructure for a local PV supply chain.
• This initiative aligns with SDG 9 by promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and reducing dependence on imported PV components.

Driving Technological Commercialization

• The project represents a transition from research and development to commercial-scale operations, a crucial step in the innovation lifecycle.
• ARENA’s continued funding, building on a previous AU$11 million commitment, validates the technology’s potential for commercial deployment.
• The investment facilitates technology validation, acquisition of manufacturing equipment, and process optimization to ensure commercial viability.

Promoting Partnerships and Economic Growth (SDG 17 & SDG 8)

Strategic Partnerships for Global Goals

1. Public-Private Partnership: The collaboration between ARENA, a government agency, and SunDrive exemplifies a partnership to advance sustainable technology.
2. International Collaboration: SunDrive has partnered with Chinese manufacturers to leverage established supply chains and high-volume production expertise, accelerating the technology’s scale-up.
3. Industry Joint Venture: A manufacturing joint venture with Trina Solar, a leading global solar panel manufacturer, combines Australian innovation with international manufacturing experience.

Supporting Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The development of a domestic manufacturing sector creates new economic opportunities and skilled employment.
• ARENA’s funding includes provisions for workforce development, ensuring the creation of a skilled labor pool to support the growing renewable energy industry, contributing to SDG 8.
• While organizational restructuring has occurred to sharpen focus, the long-term goal is to establish a sustainable commercial operation that supports economic growth.

Ensuring Responsible Production and Climate Action (SDG 12 & SDG 13)

Sustainable Production Patterns

• The replacement of silver, a relatively scarce precious metal, with widely available copper promotes more responsible consumption and production patterns (SDG 12).
• This material substitution reduces the resource intensity and environmental footprint associated with solar cell manufacturing.

Contribution to Climate Action

• By making high-efficiency solar technology more accessible and cost-effective, SunDrive’s innovation directly supports the global transition to renewable energy.
• The widespread adoption of this technology will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, taking urgent action to combat climate change as mandated by SDG 13.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article’s central theme is an innovation that makes solar energy, a key form of clean energy, more affordable. By replacing expensive silver with copper in solar cells, SunDrive’s technology directly addresses the cost barrier to widespread solar adoption, contributing to making clean energy more accessible to all.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  This goal is prominently featured through the article’s focus on technological innovation (copper metallization), industrial development (scaling up manufacturing), and building resilient infrastructure (establishing domestic solar manufacturing capacity in Australia). The funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for research, development, and pilot-scale production facilities underscores the commitment to fostering innovation and industry.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The initiative to establish large-scale production of copper-based solar cells in Australia aims to create a new domestic manufacturing sector. This contributes to economic growth and diversification. The article mentions “workforce development” as part of the investment, indicating a focus on creating skilled jobs within this new industry.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The technology promotes more sustainable production patterns by substituting a precious and costly material (silver) with a more abundant and less expensive one (copper). This shift represents a more efficient use of natural resources in the manufacturing process of a key renewable energy product.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  Although not explicitly stated, the entire context of advancing solar technology is fundamentally linked to climate action. By making solar panels cheaper and more efficient, the innovation accelerates the transition to renewable energy, which is a primary strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights multiple partnerships crucial for achieving the project’s goals. This includes public-private partnerships (SunDrive and the government agency ARENA) and international cooperation (SunDrive’s joint venture with the Chinese firm Trina Solar). These collaborations are essential for technology commercialisation, scaling up manufacturing, and accessing global expertise.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article discusses a technology that lowers the cost of solar cells, which would spur greater adoption and thus increase the share of solar power in the energy mix.
   • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. The ARENA funding for SunDrive’s technology and the partnership with Chinese firms for manufacturing scale-up are direct examples of promoting investment and international cooperation in clean energy technology.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. The copper metallization process is a cleaner, more resource-efficient technology being adopted to create a sustainable manufacturing industry.
   • Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation. The article is a case study of this, detailing how government funding (ARENA) is supporting a company (SunDrive) to enhance research and commercialise an innovative technology.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. The development of a domestic solar manufacturing capacity based on a new technology is a clear example of pursuing economic growth through technological innovation and industrial diversification.

4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The core innovation—replacing silver with copper—directly addresses this target by using a more abundant natural resource, thereby reducing the material footprint and cost of solar cell production.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The collaboration between SunDrive (private sector), ARENA (public sector), and Trina Solar (international private sector) is a perfect illustration of a multi-stakeholder partnership to advance sustainable technology.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):

  The article implies progress can be measured by the reduction in material costs of solar cell production due to the replacement of silver with copper. This directly impacts the affordability of clean energy.

• For SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):

  A clear indicator is the amount of investment in renewable energy research and development, explicitly mentioned as “previous AU$11 million funding” from ARENA. Another indicator is the establishment of pilot-scale production facilities, which measures progress in building industrial infrastructure.

• For SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):

  An implied indicator is the creation of domestic solar manufacturing capacity. The article also points to investment in workforce development as a measurable action to support job creation in the new sector.

• For SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):

  The primary indicator is the substitution of silver with copper in the manufacturing process. This is a direct measure of a shift towards more sustainable production patterns and efficient use of natural resources.

• For SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):

  The article provides a clear indicator through the formation of strategic partnerships and joint ventures, specifically mentioning the “manufacturing joint venture with Trina Solar” and the funding partnership with ARENA.

4. Table of Identified SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: pv-tech.org