ARENA

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.

Also Mirage News·RenewEconomy·Dealroom·RenewEconomy

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.

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.

Also Dealroom·RenewEconomy

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.

Also Fintech News Australia·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·Dealroom

ARENA-backed accelerator selects 'hardware' climate tech startups

EnergyLab unveils ten hardware-focused climate tech startups joining its 2026 Climate Solutions Accelerator, supported by $1.64 million from ARENA; alumni Infravision, Renewable Metals, Orkestra and Amber later received ARENA funding.

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.

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.

Also Dealroom·Startup Daily

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.

Also Dealroom·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

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.

Also Dealroom·Startup Daily·Business News Australia

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.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

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.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

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.

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.

Also RenewEconomy

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.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

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.

Also @AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Decarbonising Australian manufacturing

ARENA grants more than $12 million to McCain Foods, Sugar Australia and Blackmores for projects replacing gas-fired heat with electric systems at their Victorian plants.

Also RenewEconomy

Fast charging for iron ore mining

ARENA grants Fortescue $10m toward 6 MW chargers for its big battery mining trucks, to be trialled at Hazelmere and Christmas Creek, with the project finishing in late 2025.

Also RenewEconomy

Australian startup gets $5m for critical energy mineral processing

ARENA announced grant funding of up to $5 million for Queensland startup Banksia Minerals to develop its electrochemical copper processing technology, moving the pilot from laboratory work toward field demonstration.

Under IP Group Australia portfolio ·leads this story in the feed

LUMI robots ScaleUp solar deployment with advanced automation

ARENA awarded Luminous $4.9 million under its Solar ScaleUp Challenge to deploy its LUMI robot fleet at two Australian solar farms operated by Neoen and Engie.

Also RenewEconomy

ARENA funds breakthrough battery cathode technology project

ARENA commits $30m as a conditional grant so VSPC, a Livium subsidiary, can build a demonstration plant making battery cathode powder near Brisbane.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Australian homes get Vehicle-to-Grid ready

ARENA's media release marks a milestone in its funded project with Amber Electric: the first vehicle-to-grid charger installed in an Australian home, which the agency frames as transformative for the power system.

First of its kind charging solution for heavy mining vehicles

ARENA has awarded BluVein a $9m grant to trial its dynamic charging system for heavy electric mining trucks, aiming to cut diesel use in mining; the program's next round opens late 2025.

ARENA investment helps freight shift from diesel to electric trucks

Government agency ARENA has awarded NewVolt funding of up to $25.3 million for truck charging hubs across Melbourne, backing fleet electrification under its Driving the Nation Program.

Flexible services to roll out in Victoria

ARENA awards United Energy $3.54 million toward an $8 million Victorian trial of demand flexibility, covering hot-water control and dynamic solar export limits across three distribution networks, finishing in 2026.

Also RenewEconomy

ARENA invests $21 million to accelerate Australia’s electric vehicle transition

ARENA announces grants for three electric-vehicle charging projects, with Flow Power the largest recipient, and reports grant recipient Zenobē has opened a Sydney depot for charging electric trucks.

Under ARENA ·leads this story in the feed

A big boost for domestic solar manufacturing

ARENA announces a conditional grant of as much as $151m for Sunman Group to build a large solar module factory in NSW, under the federal government's Solar Sunshot program.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ARENA commits $25.3 million to continue SunDrive's copper solar cell breakthrough

The renewable energy agency will grant SunDrive up to $25.3 million to scale its copper solar cell technology with partners Maxwell and Vistar, adding to $14 million in earlier support.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ARENA announces $45 million for Pilbara Solar Innovation Hub

The renewable energy agency has committed as much as $45m to Fortescue's Pilbara solar testing hub, where demonstration projects with Built Robotics and 5B will trial construction robotics and rapid-deployment solar technology.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ARENA backs world first battery storage technology

The renewable energy agency has awarded A$25 million to Melbourne battery firm Relectrify to roll out its inverter-free AC1 storage systems, building on earlier agency funding that helped develop the technology.

Also RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing

ARENA backs drone-based solar inspection start-up

ARENA is putting as much as $3.96m into Lab 360 Solar, a UNSW spin-out whose drones photograph solar panels in daylight to catch cell-level faults; a fresh $60m solar R&D round is open.

Also @AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy

$12.3 million for Australian first shared truck charging hub

ARENA awards Mondo Power a $12.3 million grant to build and run a shared electric truck charging hub for heavy freight vehicles in Melbourne's west, delivered through the Driving the Nation Program.

$45.5 million to supercharge Australian solar manufacturing

ARENA grants $34.5 million to solar module maker Tindo and $11 million across Solquartz, Energus and Stellar PV for polysilicon feasibility studies under the federal Solar Sunshot program.

Also @AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ARENA backs Hunter Valley renewable hydrogen project with $432 million

The clean energy funder conditionally awarded Orica's Hunter Valley hydrogen hub as much as $432 million under its Hydrogen Headstart program, following CIP's Murchison Green Hydrogen Project's earlier $814 million grant.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Industry giants collaborating to seek to decarbonise steel

Also RenewEconomy

South32 to explore emission reductions options in alumina refining.

Government agency ARENA is granting $4.4 million for a pre-feasibility study into steam electrification at South32's Western Australian alumina refinery, with earlier backing of Alcoa and Rio Tinto also recalled.

Homegrown pioneer first project funded for Solar Sunshot

ARENA has named solar maker 5B the first recipient of funding under its Solar Sunshot program, with a grant of as much as $46 million to expand Adelaide output of its Maverick system.

Also RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

New tool to give landholders more stake in the clean energy transition

ARENA announces A$500,000 in funding for RELA Australia to enhance its RELA Assess software, helping farmers gauge solar and wind potential on their properties ahead of negotiations with developers.

Also RenewEconomy

Murchison Green Hydrogen Project given a headstart

ARENA has chosen Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners' Murchison Green Hydrogen project in Western Australia as the inaugural Hydrogen Headstart recipient, allocating $814 million that will be paid as production credits once the project operates.

Also RenewEconomy

ARENA invests in cleaner, greener Australian skies

Boosting street-side EV charging across Australia

ARENA commits $2.4 million to EVX for 250 kerbside EV chargers across three Australian states, funded through the Driving the Nation Program, with electricity distributors and a retailer supporting the rollout.

Also @AuManufacturing

Accelerating community electrification across Australia

ARENA recalls two community electrification grants, $6.2 million to SA Power Networks and $5.4 million to Electrify 2515, and says the minister has asked it to consider expanding such funding.

Under ARENA ·leads this story in the feed

Unlocking a future energy market in Western Australia

ARENA is granting A$20.8 million to Western Power for Project Jupiter, a three-year distributed energy marketplace in Western Australia run alongside Synergy, Energy Policy WA and AEMO.

ARENA funding accelerates sulphur battery innovation

The renewable energy agency will grant Gelion $4.8 million, conditional on co-funding, to build a Sydney prototyping centre advancing its lithium-sulphur and silicon-sulphur battery chemistries toward commercialisation.

Also RenewEconomy

Sustainable aviation fuels studies take flight

CICCADA to unlock insights of consumer energy

ARENA has awarded UNSW $1.7 million for Project CICCADA, a $4.3 million research effort analysing data from rooftop solar, batteries and electric vehicles to inform integration of consumer energy resources into the grid.

Focus on heavy vehicle electrification set to drive innovation in transport sector

The renewable energy agency has committed $28.6 million in grants so Linfox and Toll can electrify their freight fleets with dozens of electric trucks, alongside fresh program priorities opening for applications.

Also @AuManufacturing

Scaling up homegrown battery technology

The renewable energy agency is putting nearly $4m toward AnteoTech's silicon anode work, part of an $11.1m three-year Brisbane project to commercialise longer-lasting lithium-ion battery technology.

Also RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing

ARENA funds Australia’s first community-led electrification trial

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency commits $5.4 million to a New South Wales trial electrifying 500 homes, working with Brighte, Rewiring Australia and Endeavour Energy on household electrification insights.

ARENA backs Jet Zero for sustainable aviation fuel

Government energy agency ARENA announced $9 million in funding for Jet Zero Australia's Townsville sustainable aviation fuel project, with Queensland adding $5 million toward the FEED study; Qantas, Airbus and Idemitsu Kosan are consortium partners.

Supercharging Sydney Supermarket deliveries

Also ARENA

Robotics and software funding to drive down solar costs

The renewable energy agency commits grant funding to two solar projects: forecasting software at PV Lighthouse and robot automation of solar farm construction at Built Robotics.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

ARENA funds green oxygen trial for wastewater treatment

Government agency ARENA funds a Geelong wastewater trial capturing oxygen byproduct from Viva Energy's hydrogen electrolyser to cut treatment emissions.

Under ARENA ·leads this story in the feed

ARENA funds national community battery roll out

Australia's renewable energy agency conditionally allocates up to $143 million to twenty named recipients for a national rollout of as many as 370 community batteries, with a second grant round flagged.

Under ARENA ·leads this story in the feed

Driving down industrial emissions

ARENA awards $1.98 million in feasibility-study grants to ten businesses, from meat processors to a water corporation, to investigate renewable energy and efficiency projects that cut industrial emissions.

Also RenewEconomy·Beef Central / Grain Central

Electric trucks to decarbonise last-mile delivery

ARENA grants ANC $12.8 million to deploy 112 electric trucks for last-mile delivery through Project Spark, lowering ownership costs for owner-drivers and speeding fleet electrification.

Batteries on Wheels: Unlocking value for customers through smarter charging

ARENA announced a $3.2 million grant to Amber Electric for a residential trial of EV smart charging and vehicle-to-grid services, with enX independently verifying the project's modelling under the Driving the Nation Fund.

Also Alberts Impact Ventures portfolio·Dealroom

Streamlining new renewable energy generation to the grid

ARENA grants GridWise Energy Solutions $337,000 toward its Dynamic Model Validation project, an online platform that lets renewable generators pre-check their models for faster grid entry.

Also RenewEconomy

Enabling Data Exchange for Consumer Energy Resources

ARENA has granted AEMO $1.2 million, with AusNet as partner, to design shared digital infrastructure for integrating consumer energy resources into the National Electricity Market, building on the earlier Project EDGE trial.

Also RenewEconomy

South Australia leading the way with energy-smart homes

ARENA puts $6.2 million toward SA Power Networks' Energy Masters trial, equipping 500 South Australian homes with smart devices and energy management tech, alongside state government, research, retail and finance partners.

Also ARENA·ARENA·@AuManufacturing