Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

“Playing catch-up:” Sunshot targets cheaper construction in quest for ultra-low cost solar

Arena opens a third Solar Sunshot round aimed at cutting utility-scale solar construction costs, while recapping grants already handed to 5B, Tindo Solar, Solquartz, Stellar PV, Luminous Robotics and Built Robotics' local subsidiary.

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Australian-made solar robots move towards commercial scale with $32.3 million in ARENA funding

The renewable energy agency is backing two companies with grants totalling $32.3 million to manufacture robots that build solar farms, with production hubs planned for Melbourne and Brisbane.

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Ampol to buy EV charging scaleup Evie Networks for $225 million

Fuel retailer Ampol has proposed acquiring EV charging network Evie Networks for $225 million, pending regulator approval, while the article recalls the charging company's seed, Series A, government grant and debt funding history.

ARENA backs Lightspeed project to accelerate innovation in large-scale solar

The renewable energy agency grants Equans Solar & Storage $25 million for Lightspeed, a three-year program trialling up to ten technologies to cut the cost of building and running large-scale solar farms.

Hysata to scale UOW clean energy innovation with $49M ARENA funding

Hysata has received an ARENA grant of up to $49 million to build a commercial-scale electrolyser manufacturing line at Port Kembla, with UOW and TAFE NSW Illawarra supporting workforce training around the project.

ARENA Funds 1,000-Home Electrification in Canberra

ARENA is putting $8.2 million toward Electric Future's Go Electric pilot, which will trial a one-stop digital platform helping as many as 1,000 Canberra households move from gas to electric appliances.

Gega Elements secures $1.98M ARENA funding for gallium and germanium pilot plant

The critical minerals refiner has won government backing exceeding $1.98 million to advance its recovery process from laboratory scale to a pilot facility in Sydney.

100 community batteries delivered as ARENA funds next generation of projects

ARENA marks 100 community batteries installed under its funding initiative and announces $23.2 million in new grants for three Round 2 battery projects led by YES Group, Ausgrid and the City of Newcastle.

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$26M Boost for Cleaner Aussie Iron Tech

Canberra is putting up to $26 million through ARENA behind Element Zero's Perth pilot testing whether the nation's iron ore can become low-emissions iron via a renewable-powered, molten-salt process.

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From solar cells to solar farms: Quest for ultra-low cost PV gets $100 million federal boost

ARENA will spend up to $105.6 million on 20 solar research projects, including grants for Sunspence, Proa Energy and a University of Sydney tandem-cell team working with panel maker Unison Solar.

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ARENA invests $105.6 million in next wave of solar innovation

ARENA has announced $105.6 million in grants for twenty solar research projects, mostly at Australian universities, plus two companies, targeting cheaper cells, modules and solar farm operations.

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🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #176, 30th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Blackbird confirms a record fund close and Galileo reaches a first close, Genesis merges with Proudi, IREN secures massive debt, and several startups report raises, grants and program wins.

Hysata Named National Finalist for Research Award

A Wollongong hydrogen spin-out is shortlisted for a national award recognising research commercialisation; the profile recaps its electrolyser technology, Port Kembla headquarters, jobs and backing.

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🇦🇺 This Week in Australian Startups #173, 9th August 2026

Weekly roundup: Firmus completes its $2.85b round; Procore acquires DroneDeploy; Atlassian rebounds while Canva cuts guidance; plus fresh raises for Zabidou, BioScout, Vexev, Enrola, Spacetalk and others.

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“Every tool in the kit:” From kerbside EV charging to microgrid building, 10 companies line up for funding, incubation

EnergyLab names ten hardware-focused climate tech companies joining its 2026 Climate Solutions Accelerator, which pairs seed investment with a six-month program. Several hold government grants, and Catch Power's 2024 purchase of Solar Analytics is recalled.

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Powering the battery revolution

The CEFC recounts a decade of project financing behind Australia's landmark grid batteries — DeGrussa, Hornsdale, Victorian Big Battery and Capital Battery — showing how early public capital helped storage reach mainstream markets.

Australia moves closer to ultra low-cost solar future

ARENA's white paper update finds ultra low-cost solar is achievable but delivery speed and scale of big projects is now the main risk, highlighting supported work by 5B, Built Robotics, Nextpower and Luminous Robotics.

Can EVs help get more out of the grid, for less? Two new grant winners hope to show the way

Fourteen projects won grants under the federal government's Grid Enhancing Technologies program, including EV charging firms Jet Charge and Charge Hub Australia, to show how EVs and other tech can ease grid constraints.

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ARENA backs forestry byproducts-to-aviation fuel project

ARENA has conditionally awarded HAMR Energy $32 million toward engineering design for a plant turning forestry residues in Victoria and South Australia into methanol-based jet fuel and other low-carbon products.

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Wildfire Energy secures Queensland government funding for Bulwer Island Biofuels Hub

Wildfire Energy receives an 18.56 million dollar Queensland government grant for its Bulwer Island Biofuels Hub, with the article recalling earlier ARENA funding and a Climate Tech Partners investment.

Climate Tech Partners invest into Wildfire Energy

Wildfire Energy, an Australian waste-to-energy developer, received $2 million from Climate Tech Partners, Qantas and Airbus, plus a separate $3.15 million ARENA grant for bio-methanol production work.

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Green hydrogen hopes lift as “headstart” project reaches crucial financial milestone

Orica will proceed with its Hunter Valley green hydrogen plant after a final investment decision, the first under Hydrogen Headstart; earlier government grants to it and CIP's Murchison are recalled.

Green hydrogen hopes lift as “headstart” project reaches crucial financial milestone

Orica has reached a final investment decision for its Hunter Valley green hydrogen and ammonia project, confirming government grant support, while other planned Australian hydrogen projects advance slowly or have been abandoned.

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ARENA backs next-generation battery technology to boost EV performance

ARENA announced funding of up to $45 million for Sicona Battery Technologies to build a commercial-scale plant for its silicon-carbon anode material in the Illawarra.

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ARENA backs GridZync's grid stability software with $953K

Australia's renewable energy agency is granting GridZync $953K via its Advancing Renewables Program to refine and commercialise Rezonance, a tool that spots oscillation risks as inverter-based generation replaces coal.

ARENA expands Amber project to accelerate vehicle-to-grid rollout in Australia

The renewable energy agency commits a further $13.6 million grant to Amber Electric's vehicle-to-grid trial, lifting participation to 1,000 households, with carmaker BYD joining to work on charging standards.

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“Island-able” solar-battery microgrid wins funding to keep lights on in town at the end of the line

ARENA grants $3 million to EDP Renewables Australia for a community microgrid combining solar and storage in Braidwood, NSW, meant to keep the bushfire-prone town supplied when the grid fails.

ARENA powers up apartments EV charging startup with $1.51 million

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has granted EV charging startup ReadySteadyPlug $1.51 million toward a $3.49 million project installing as many as 428 charge points for apartment and strata residents.

ARENA backs First Nations‑led microgrids to improve power reliability in remote NT communities

ARENA is providing $11 million for two remote Northern Territory microgrid projects, at Borroloola and Ltyentye Apurte, co-developed with First Nations community organisations.

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Australian battery innovation gets boost with ARENA funding

ARENA's Battery Breakthrough Initiative backs its first two recipients: PowerPlus Energy gains $2.32 million to expand Victorian pack assembly, while Firebird Metals receives $2 million toward a Perth battery-materials plant.

Next generation battery manufacturing gets funding boost

ARENA awards Li-S Energy $7.86 million to advance lithium-sulfur battery production studies toward a proposed large-scale cell facility.

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ARENA backs low emissions lithium refining in WA

ARENA is giving PLS Group up to $38.1 million for a West Australian lithium processing demonstration plant that will trial Calix's electric-kiln technology to cut calcination emissions.

Ground-breaking NT microgrid lands $8.3m grant, set to kick off construction

ARENA grants $8.3 million for a First Nations-led solar and battery microgrid at Borroloola in the Northern Territory, with nearly $3 million more for a proposed microgrid at Ltyentye Apurte.

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Australian battery storage manufacturer secures $2.3 million grant from ARENA to scale up capacity

PowerPlus Energy, a Victorian battery maker, has received a government grant to help automate and expand its local production capacity.

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No customers: Plans for Townsville hydrogen project scrapped after failing to find buyers for the product

Edify Energy has shelved its Townsville green hydrogen plant for want of buyers, pivoting to solar and storage builds; governments are separately seeking repayment of hydrogen subsidies, including from Fortescue's closed Gladstone plant.

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Backer of huge Australian green hydrogen projects lands funds to create “digital twin”

Intercontinental Energy received a $1.56 million federal grant to build a digital twin of its modular hydrogen node design; it earlier received $21 million from ARENA for the Pilbara hub after BP quit.

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Arena-backed green hydrogen plan disappears from queue for federal environmental approval

Edify Energy's Townsville green hydrogen project has been pulled from the federal environmental approval queue after two-and-a-half years, despite earlier grant wins from Arena and a federal hydrogen hubs program.

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Backing innovation in industrial decarbonisation

ARENA is granting MGA Thermal as much as $3.25 million to conduct engineering design studies advancing its heat-storage blocks toward commercial deployment with industrial customers decarbonising process heat.

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Industrial decarbonisation gets $13 million boost

ARENA grants five industrial decarbonisation projects a combined $13 million, spanning brewery electrification, low-carbon laundry, pharmaceutical manufacturing, aluminium extrusion and biochar production, as a new round of its transformation stream opens.

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ARENA backs Calix with $44.9M to fire up green steel future

Australia's renewable energy agency is funding Calix's ZESTY demonstration plant with $44.9m, targeting low-hydrogen conversion of iron ore into low-carbon iron for greener steelmaking.

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