Energy Minister Vows to Revive Solar Panel Manufacturing in Australia
Minister Chris Bowen announced that local manufacturer Sundrive would relocate their factory to the former site of the Liddell Power Station.
Australian Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has pledged to revitalize the solar manufacturing industry with a $1 billion (US$650 million) package.
Government support will focus on manufacturing facilities directly involved in the solar panel supply chain, including the production of key materials like polysilicon and panel cells, as well as solar modules.
The program may also assist companies producing ancillary components for solar panels.
Mr. Bowen announced that Sundrive, a local manufacturer capable of producing the world’s most efficient solar panels, would relocate their factory to the former site of the Liddell Power Station in New South Wales (NSW) under the Solar SunShot program.
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“The new factory will employ more people than had been employed at the Liddell Power Station,” he stated.
Although acknowledging the need for more efforts to enhance Australia’s manufacturing capacity, the minister expressed confidence that the Solar SunShot program would achieve this goal.
According to the government, Australia boasts the highest adoption rate of solar panels globally, with one in three households embracing the technology.
However, only 1 percent of solar panels sold in the country each year are domestically produced.
Security Concerns About Chinese-Made Solar Panels
Mr. Bowen’s announcement follows inquiries about the security implications of solar panels on the national electricity grid by his department.
“We have a significant proportion of solar inverters that can be controlled by external parties, supplied and manufactured by companies closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party,” she highlighted.
“This poses a national security risk.”
Reports in 2021 indicated that approximately 80 percent of all solar panels in Australia, and 90 percent of imported solar panels, originate from China.
A representative from the Climate Change and Energy Department acknowledged collaboration with the Home Affairs Department to address security risks associated with solar panels, although it was not their primary focus.
