Plans to build Australia’s first large-scale silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in Queensland have been put on the fast track by the federal government in a nod to the project’s potential to play a key role in supporting a domestic solar supply chain.
Image: Stellar PV
From pv magazine Australia
Stellar PV’s plan to establish a 2 GW silicon ingot pulling and wafer manufacturing plant near Queensland, Australia, has been awarded “major project status” by the Australian government, putting it on the fast track for regulatory approvals.
Sydney-based Stellar PV is looking to build a polysilicon ingot pulling and wafering facility close to the city of Townsville. The low-emissions plant would process polysilicon to produce silicon ingots and then convert the ingots to silicon wafers.
The company said the project will support high-value solar manufacturing that turns Australian expertise and resources into globally competitive capability and provide an alternative supply chain for both domestic and global solar markets.
“This unlocks a significant opportunity for Australia to move beyond exporting raw critical minerals and into high-value processing and manufacturing, creating a trusted, high-quality alternative supply chain for photovoltaic wafers,” said Stellar Chief Executive Officer Louise Hurll.
Stellar PV said being awarded major project status recognizes the national significance of the estimated AUD 400 million ($281 million) project and the strategic importance of establishing Australia as a global hub for solar manufacturing.
The designation ensures the project will receive direct support from the federal government’s Major Projects Facilitation Agency, including help navigating regulatory approvals related to areas such as environment, biosecurity and foreign investment.
The announcement follows the recent release of an interim report that confirmed the feasibility of the planned manufacturing facility.
The pre-feasibility review indicates the facility is technically and commercially achievable and there are no environmental, regulatory or site-related barriers that would limit progression to the next stage of the feasibility study.
The study, supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of the AUD 1 billion federal Solar Sunshot program, says preliminary findings “indicate that establishing Australia’s first large-scale ingot and wafer facility is technically feasible and commercially promising.”
“Early assessments of the process design, equipment options, site requirements and ESG commitments provide a sound basis for progressing to detailed engineering studies,” it said, noting that market case is strong, with European and United States “actively looking” for wafer supplies as their cell and module capacity expands.
“Australia’s low-cost renewable energy, trusted trade position and supportive policy settings give us a clear advantage in meeting this demand,” the report said. “With production credits and CAPEX support, our early findings indicate the project can achieve globally competitive pricing, deliver high-value regional jobs and sovereign capability, and relieve one of the most significant chokepoints in the global clean-energy supply chain.”
Stellar PV said the report provides a solid foundation to proceed to the next stage of the project, which is to deliver feasibility study, front-end engineering design, and preparation and submission of development applications for the facility. The company is aiming for production in late 2028, pending regulatory approvals.
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