PVTIME – The Australian government has awarded Major Project Status to Sydney-based Stellar PV for its planned 2GW polysilicon ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in Queensland. This designation will accelerate project delivery, with Stellar PV targeting an operational start by the end of 2028.
Picture: Stellar PV
The facility, which is to be built near Townsville, will serve as a low-carbon production base for processing polysilicon into ingots and subsequent photovoltaic wafers. The project is set to receive total investment of AUD 400 million (USD 281 million), which is a key part of Australia’s strategy to develop a global photovoltaic manufacturing hub.
The award of Major Project Status acknowledges the project’s national strategic importance and unlocks dedicated support from the Australian Federal Government’s Major Project Facilitation Agency. The agency will streamline regulatory approvals relating to environmental compliance, biosecurity frameworks, and foreign investment review, significantly reducing overall project lead times.
Stellar PV Chief Executive Officer Louise Hurll highlighted the transformative impact of this milestone on Australia’s energy manufacturing sector. It will transform Australia’s role, shifting it from an exporter of critical mineral feedstocks to a producer of high-value photovoltaic components. This will provide the global photovoltaic wafer market with a stable, high-quality supply alternative, enabling it to diversify its supply chains and reduce its reliance on concentrated production hubs.
The project’s progress is underpinned by robust pre-feasibility analysis supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of the federal government’s A$1 billion Solar Sprint programme. The interim pre-feasibility report confirmed the technical and commercial viability of Australia’s first large-scale ingot pulling and wafer manufacturing operation. No material barriers were identified in relation to environmental compliance, regulatory alignment or site selection.
Preliminary evaluations of the process design, equipment specifications, site suitability and ESG commitments have been completed. These evaluations provide a firm basis for the detailed engineering design. The report identified several robust market drivers, such as the continuous expansion of battery and photovoltaic module production capacity in Europe and North America, which is expected to stimulate sustained growth in the global demand for wafers.
Australia’s competitive advantages include low-cost renewable energy generation, a stable trade framework, and supportive policy settings. Together with production subsidies and support for capital expenditure, these factors will enable the facility to offer globally competitive prices, create high-value local jobs, strengthen domestic industrial autonomy and ease key supply chain constraints in the global clean energy sector.
Stellar PV has initiated the next phase of project delivery, focusing on detailed feasibility studies, front-end engineering design, and preparing project development applications. Provided that regulatory approval is granted in a timely manner, the facility will commence production by late 2028, thereby establishing Australia’s first large-scale photovoltaic ingot and wafer manufacturing capability.
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