According to the Australian Manufacturing Forum (AMF):

An Australian company “….has developed a cell metallisation technology that uses copper which is 100x cheaper and 1,000x more abundant than commonly used silver” to produce solar cells.

“Currently, silver accounts for approximately half the cost of converting a bare silicon wafer into a finished solar cell and solar manufacturing accounts for approximately 25 per cent of the world’s annual industrial silver consumption. “

 AMF goes on to say:”…..has also pushed the performance of its technology beyond that achievable with silver by creating the world’s most efficient commercial-sized solar cell. The technology also has environmental benefits as copper is easier to recycle and is less carbon intensive in the manufacturing process.”

AMF quotes ARENA CEO Darren Miller who said “…..it was crucial that scientists and researchers keep innovating and improving solar cells and module design.”

Miller said: “…..technology that replaces silver with copper is a potential game changer and highlights why now is the time to invest in technologies for our future economic success.”

now is the time to invest in technologies for our future economic success.”

The real thing or just another hype to get more funding ?

Solar is still non-dispatchable energy no matter how cheap it is to produce. It's all the extras like storage, control and transmission, as well as the fact that you need at least six times as much to make up for the low capacity factor. The spruikers act dumb about the realities that make solar far more expensive than nuclear as a low carbon energy source.

Investors overseas are backing away from renewable energy. Dumb-bum Australians just haven't caught up yet; and as long as the government has moron acting as Energy Minister, they won't catch up. He seems to think that what has turned to shite in other countries will work here.

WTF?

ttbn says: "Investors overseas are backing away from renewable energy."

Just another unsupported shout into the wind from ttbn.

Australia is, in fact,the third most attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) into renewable energy in 2022, according to a new report from fDi Intelligence.


South Korea’s POSCO plans to invest A$40 billion in Australia’s green hydrogen industry.

A Japanese consortium has committed A$2.35 billion in the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain, the world’s first liquefied hydrogen supply chain.

Spain’s Iberdrola and Australian hydrogen developer ABEL Energy are planning to build a green hydrogen and green methanol production plant in Tasmania.

Denmark’s European Energy has made a major investment in the 3,600 MW Pacific Solar Hydrogen Project in Gladstone.

Norwegian oil and offshore wind giant Equinor is co-developing a 1GW wind farm off the coast of north-east Tasmania.

The US’s Recharge Industries is building a lithium-ion battery factory in Geelong.

All of this investment in Australian renewables from overseas companies that will have an economic boost for regional Australia.

Just another unsupported shout into the wind from ttbn.
WTF? - Not Again,
Don't be too hasty in dismissing this trend. The more information comes to hand the more the pragmatists move away from the idealism that the Woke can't detach themselves from.