solar power Archives

SunDrive cofounder Vince Allen with PM Anthony Albanese, climate change minister Chris Bowen and company director, advisor and former MP Wyatt Roy.

Solar panel maker SunDrive pockets $11 million from ARENA as PM opens new Sydney manufacturing plant

Simon Thomsen - November 2, 2023 2 MIN READ

Solar panel startup SunDrive has opened a pilot production and commercialisation facility in southern Sydney, having also landed another $11 million in funding from the government-backed Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen opened the plant in Kurnell on Wednesday. SunDrive, which has received extensive… Read more »

Climate Tech

Why thermal energy storage is the overlooked solution to Australia’s renewable energy problems

Dominic Zaal - April 12, 2023 3 MIN READ

Australia’s transition to renewables is gathering speed, but there’s a looming problem with storage. We will need much more long-duration storage to get us through the night, once coal and fossil gas exit the system. We also need to find new and better ways to create heat for industrial processes. Renewables can supply much of… Read more »

Business

The $30 billion Sun Cable project hits voluntary administration amid falling out between billionaire backers Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest

Simon Thomsen - January 12, 2023 2 MIN READ

A $30 billion project to send solar-generated power made in Australia to Singapore has been placed in voluntary administration (VA) amid a reported falling out between its key backers, the tech and mining billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Dr Andrew Forrest. Cannon-Brookes and Forrest are cornerstone investors in Singapore-based Sun Cable – the Atlassian co-founder through his private… Read more »

Funding

BP backs Sydney solar startup 5B in $55 million Series B

Simon Thomsen - December 20, 2022 2 MIN READ

The venture capital arm of energy giant BP has tipped $20 million into Sydney solar array startup 5B, to close out its $55 million Series B. The additional funds from bp ventures end a 15-month capital campaign that saw the first $30 million secured in June, with the round being led by existing backers… Read more »

Funding

Malcolm Turnbull and Atlassian, Tesla and Canva bosses back solar startup in $21 million Series B

Simon Thomsen - October 13, 2022 2 MIN READ

A startup making cheaper rooftop solar panels by replacing the silver in production with copper has raised $21 million in a Series B. SunDrive began life in a Wollongong garage in 2015, cofounded by uni mates Vince Allen and David Hu. Allen developed the idea of using copper as a cheaper alternative during two years… Read more »

Climate Tech

Victoria has $10 million to deal with one of the next decade’s biggest recycling problems: solar panels

Simon Thomsen - October 3, 2022 2 MIN READ

A $10 million program to tackle recycling solar panels has been launched in Victoria. Breakthrough Victoria, a company managing a $2 billion fund set up by the Victorian government to make the state a global leader in innovation, has launched the $10 million Solar Waste Challenge, to invest in solar waste reduction solutions. More than… Read more »

Funding

Cannon-Brookes, Twiggy Forrest double down on $30bn Sun Cable project in $210 million Series B

Simon Thomsen - March 14, 2022 2 MIN READ

Tech and mining billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Dr Andrew Forrest have ramped up their support for a $30 billion project to supply solar power from the Australia to Singapore, leading a $210 million Series B round into Sun Cable. Singapore-based Sun Cable’s $30 billion plan was first revealed in 2019, with Cannon-Brookes and Forrest as cornerstone… Read more »

Other tech

Sun Cable’s giant solar farm in the NT, backed by Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest, is now a $30 billion project

Simon Thomsen - September 24, 2021 2 MIN READ

The value a massive solar farm in the Northern Territory designed to supply power to Singapore, has increased by $8 billion to $30 billion in the wake of approval by the Indonesian Government to run the cable through its waters. The Sun Cable Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink) project has some high profile backers, including Atlassian co-founder… Read more »

Other tech

IKEA’s Adelaide store will be self-powered by 2025 as the retailer eyes a move into renewable energy generation and supply

Simon Thomsen - October 14, 2020 2 MIN READ

IKEA Australia will install solar panels generating 1.2MW of electricity on the rooftop of its Adelaide store as it moves towards operating with 100% renewable energy by 2025. The project will create largest grid-connected commercial microgrid, connecting with the South Australian power network, and will be coupled with a 3.4MWh onsite battery – think around… Read more »

Topics

POWERING UP: Mike & Annie Cannon-Brookes are spending $12 million to bring a little sunshine to 100 bushfire-hit communities

Simon Thomsen - February 20, 2020 2 MIN READ

Fire-ravaged Australian communities struggling for power will have an solar energy solution thanks so Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie. The duo are investing up to $12 million in a venture called Resilient Energy Collective (REC), designed to rapidly deploy solar panels and Tesla batteries in communities that have lost power in natural… Read more »

Other

Western Downs Regional Council approves development of Australia’s largest solar farm

James Ward - January 19, 2017 < 1 MIN READ

One of Australia’s largest clean energy projects to date, a 300 megawatt solar farm is set to be developed in Queensland Western Downs region.

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