The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched a new $60 million funding round aimed at driving innovation in solar energy and helping reduce the cost of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to ultra low-cost levels.
Announced as part of ARENA’s Research, Development and Commercialisation (RDC) Program, the Ultra Low-Cost Solar (ULCS) PV Research and Development Funding Round seeks proposals from Australian universities, research organisations, and innovative businesses.
The initiative targets a Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) below $20 per megawatt-hour, the agency said in a funding announcement.
The funding round opened to Expressions of Interest (EOIs) on 5 August 2025 and will close on 21 October 2025.
According to ARENA, applications must demonstrate a minimum Technology Readiness Level of three and align with key focus areas across two streams: Cells and Modules, and Balance of Systems (BoS), Operations and Maintenance.
Stream 1 focuses on increasing module efficiency to over 30 per cent, reducing system costs below 30 cents per watt, and improving module stability to meet or exceed a 30-year operational life.
Stream 2 targets reducing the cost of deploying and maintaining utility-scale solar PV systems. Proposals under this stream may include innovations such as automated installation, prefabrication, and larger module designs.
Two webinars introducing the funding round were held in July, with recordings and presentation slides made available for prospective applicants.
ARENA noted that successful EOI applicants will be invited to submit a Full Application in December 2025.
The agency has also advised that it retains the discretion to revise the timeline and stages of the funding round.
Full details, including program guidelines and FAQs, are available on ARENA’s website.
