Worker at the large-scale solar farm at Emu Downs.

In 2024, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) launched the Solar ScaleUp Challenge in collaboration with Greenhouse Tech. The $100 million initiative set out to supercharge innovation and crowdsource ideas from around the world on how to reduce the cost of large-scale solar.  

More than 140 applications flooded in from across the globe, each showcasing the depth and diversity of innovation that lives within the global solar community, which is exactly what the Challenge sought to achieve. 

With the Challenge closed, ARENA is now working with shortlisted applicants to scope projects for potential future funding opportunities. As this goes on, one thing is clear: the future of solar is bursting with potential. 

Purpose 

The Challenge was designed by ARENA to align with its Ultra Low-Cost Solar (ULCS) vision to create a renewable-powered future and accelerate the pace of innovation in solar and position it as a core pillar of the energy transition. 

The aim of ULCS is to reduce the installed cost of solar to $0.30 per watt and bring the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) below $20 per megawatt hour. These are important targets, because at this cost, solar will form the foundation for Australia’s renewable energy “superpower” future. 

Low-cost solar is critical to provide cheap electricity to homes and businesses, decarbonise industry, and unlock new industries such as hydrogen production. Achieving ULCS will not only accelerate Australia’s energy transition, but it will also unlock entire new clean industries and export opportunities. 

To achieve ULCS, ARENA knew it needed to open the door wide to global thinkers, bold startups, established players, and cross-sector teams. The Challenge encouraged them to push the boundaries of what’s possible and tackle the biggest barriers facing solar deployment.  

Innovation is everywhere 

The Challenge reaffirmed a critical truth that transformational ideas are out there, and ARENA can help unlock them. 

Submissions ARENA received revealed a wide range of potential. Entrants brought forward solutions that challenged conventional thinking – robotic installation and automated maintenance, novel business models, ultra-lightweight modules, and AI-powered design platforms. There were also new relationships formed between technology companies, developers and construction firms – a reminder of the industry’s appetite to do things differently. 

While many proposals remain in the application process, the following projects represent some of the 34 innovative and promising tech companies identified through the Challenge. All the innovations serve to uncover strong project concepts for potential future funding. 

Faster, cheaper, safer panel installation 

Luminous Robotics  

Luminous is on a mission to empower the solar industry with robotics. Their goal is to reimagine the scaling mechanics of solar field construction and maintenance, bringing online more clean energy faster, safer, and cheaper through the help of on-demand robot fleets.  

LUMI, the robotics system created by Luminous, tackles one of the biggest challenges in solar construction — installing panels. Leveraging tested, industrial components, LUMI robots can be deployed at scale across global solar farms, automating the manipulation, transportation, and placement of solar panels to expedite installation by the crew. 

Gritt Robotics  

Gritt Robotics is developing physical AI to accelerate the deployment of clean energy infrastructure.  

The team is starting with solar farm construction automation, increasing deployment speeds up to eight times and reducing costs up to 50%. Their AI autonomously performs labour-intensive construction tasks, serving as a workforce multiplier and achieving safety, speed, and predictability. The project runs on mature, off-the-shelf construction equipment, is rapidly scalable, and handles a wide variety of components and terrains.  

Having installed over a megawatt of solar in pilots with top EPCs, Gritt is now significantly scaling up deployments. The team comprises robotics and AI experts who have previously deployed autonomous systems in challenging outdoor environments, and are alumni of MIT, Carnegie Mellon and Stanford. 

Innovative low-cost system design  

SolPod 

SolPod’s project provides a path to cheaper installed utility solar through reducing balance of plant costs, installation labour, materials and risks, construction time, and operating costs. 

Compared to traditional single-axis trackers, their prefabricated solar ‘pods’ offer significant efficiencies and savings across multiple areas. These include substantial reductions in site labour and structural material requirements, greatly minimised geotechnical risks across diverse site conditions, and improved logistics with fewer containers needed for transport. Additionally, the system effectively doubles the solar capacity achievable at each site, making it a highly efficient and scalable solution. 

Solpod is a uniquely designed solar array and highly efficient solar installation process.  The solar pods are made of 10 solar photovoltaic panels, which are folded flat, stacked, and packaged in containers. A 40-inch container can transport approximately 265 kWp, which is comparable to shipping panels alone. Once on site, the pods can be deployed efficiently, with a four-person team able to complete each deployment cycle in just five minutes. 

Improving power output and reducing costs  

Lab360 

Lab360 is a global leader in Daytime photoluminescence (DPL) development, with deep expertise in semiconductor and device physics that underpin luminescence data capture and analysis. 

DPL imaging provides unique insights into quality variations in solar farms that are unattainable with existing technology. Once developed into a market-ready solution, the systematic application of DPL will become an indispensable tool in operations and maintenance (O&M), as well as in asset performance evaluation and value assessment. 

DPL imaging, particularly when deployed via drones, has reached an advanced proof-of-concept stage. Lab360 has successfully implemented this technology at utility-scale solar farms, delivering numerous distinctive and valuable outcomes. The project aims to commercialise an automated solution by integrating DPL with other imaging and data-based quality assessment methods. 

Daylight Photoluminescence image acquired in an Australian utility scale solar farm, exposing module quality variations resulting from module degradation.

SolarEdge Technologies 

Photovoltaic (PV) modules often exhibit varying power outputs due to manufacturing tolerances and environmental conditions. SolarEdge’s solution introduces maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for every two PV modules, enabling highly granular energy harvesting. This ensures that system performance is not compromised by underperforming modules—string-level output is no longer dictated by the weakest link. Module-level failures can be automatically isolated without impacting the broader array, significantly enhancing overall energy yield. 

SolarEdge’s technology provides pinpoint fault detection and automated isolation capabilities, enabling targeted operations and maintenance (O&M). This reduces truck rolls, speeds up fault resolution, and drives down O&M costs by more than 40%. 

SolsticeAI 

Solstice AI delivers short-term solar generation forecasts that help asset owners bid more confidently into energy markets, reduce financial risk, and optimise the use of connected energy storage systems. For network operators and energy market participants, Solstice AI’s regional solar forecasts help to prepare for major real-time energy supply and price fluctuations. 

Solstice AI uses a novel form of AI to analyse satellite imagery and forecast cloud movement with high accuracy. Unlike generic forecasting models, Solstice AI trains its models on location-specific imagery, capturing the influence of local geographical features like lakes, coastlines, and terrain. The models continuously learn from updated data, improving accuracy over time and automatically adapting to each site or region. 

ARENA’s role and the road ahead

While ARENA plays a pivotal role in funding and fostering innovation, the agency knows it can’t achieve ULCS on its own. The success of the Challenge underscores the value of global collaboration and unconventional partnerships, and is one way ARENA is working to build networks and catalyse collaboration in the energy sector. 

For the steps ahead, the focus under the ULCS priority area will be on research and development. A new round of funding is set to launch by July 2025. This round will focus on the advancement of core technologies and system innovations necessary to achieve Australia’s ambitious cost and performance targets. The agency wants to attract a diverse range of applicants, including new entrants, emerging researchers, and underrepresented innovators. Diversity will ensure the widest pool of ideas and expertise are discovered. 

Whether you’re developing cutting-edge solar tech or rethinking how its deployed, there’s a place for you in Australia’s ULCS future. 

ARENA’s commitment  

The Challenge is a testament to ARENA’s commitment to drive innovation in the solar sector and achieve its ULCS vision.  

By bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders and fostering collaboration, the Challenge paved the way for groundbreaking solutions with the potential to transform the solar industry. 

The Challenge proved the future of solar energy looks brighter than ever. With continued support from ARENA and the global community of innovators, Australia has the potential to solidify its position as a renewable energy superpower. 

Discover the projects & meet the innovators 

Want to explore the range of projects submitted to the Challenge? Want to learn more about the people and companies shaping the future of solar? 

View the project brochure here.

Learn more about ARENA’s Ultra Low-Cost Solar vision. 

Join us in building Australia’s solar advantage 

Although the Challenge has closed, ARENA’s work to accelerate the pace of innovation in renewable energy technologies continues. If you’re an investor, developer, researcher or entrepreneur, with a vision for low-cost large-scale solar, now is the time to engage. 

ARENA will continue to support big ideas and back breakthroughs that power Australia’s clean energy future. Read more about our Ultra Low-Cost Solar priorities.  

Apply for funding through the Advancing Renewables Program or Solar Sunshot Program.