ARENA projects

ARENA is currently providing financial assistance to a broad portfolio of projects and measures for each of the renewable energy technology types and across the various stages of renewable energy technology innovation.  

The tables below list—by technology—those projects and measures which are directly supported by financial assistance from ARENA. Funding is listed as GST exclusive.

Bioenergy
Project name Description Location Funding amount
Curtin University of Technology Sustainable production of transport fuels from mallee bio-mass by pyrolysis and bio-refinery. Perth (WA) $2,500,000
Microbiogen Pty Ltd Converting sugar cane bagasse into fuel and feed using yeast strains. Lane Cove (NSW) $2,539,180
Licella Pty Ltd Commercial demonstration of lignocellulosics to (unique) stable bio-crude oil. Somersby (NSW) $2,288,000
Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations Ltd Develop an optimised and sustainable sugarcane biomass input system for production of Gen2 biofuel. Indooroopilly (QLD) $1,326,000
Algal Fuels Consortium Selection of microalgae to produce biodiesel and value end products and to develop innovative bio-refinery processes. Torrens Island (SA) $2,724,000
University of Melbourne Efficient separation, processing and utilisation of algal biomass for the production of biofuels. Parkville Campus (VIC) $1,240,000
Qantas Airways Ltd The feasibility study will look at the conditions under which the sustainable manufacture of alternative aviation fuel can be achieved in Australia. Multiple Sites $500,000
James Cook University High Energy Algal Fuels Project, investigating the research, development and demonstration of biofuels from macroalgal feedstock. Townsville (QLD) $5,000,000
Almond Board of Australia The study will assess the technical and economic feasibility for bioenergy generation from almond waste. VIC and SA $32,100
Renergi Pty Ltd The Project will demonstrate an advanced biomass gasification technology. Perth (WA) $3,624,253
Licella Pty Ltd The feasibility study will investigate the construction of Licella's first pre-commercial bio-fuels plant. Sydney (NSW) $5,423,155
Muradel Pty Ltd This demonstration project aims to prove Muradel’s marine algal production and harvesting technology to produce sustainable biofuel from marine microalgae. Whyalla (SA) $4,398,000
Geothermal
Project name Description Location Funding amount
The University of Adelaide, South Australian Centre for Geothermal Energy Research (SACGER) SACGER will conduct a scientific research-driven analysis to evaluate why the achieved fluid flow rates of Hot Sedimentary Aquifers (HSA) reservoirs in Australia are significantly lower than expected. Adelaide (SA) $1,250,000
National ICT Australia Ltd The project is to develop software to improve the process of exploration, discovery and characterisation of geothermal targets. Sydney (NSW) $1,901,980
MNGI Pty Ltd (Petratherm)* MNGI will build a 7 megawatt Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) demonstration power station at Paralana in SA (following successful completion of the flow tests supported by ERP funds). Paralana (SA) $24,520,833
Geodynamics Limited Geodynamics will build a 25 megawatt Engineered Geothermal System demonstration power station in the Cooper Basin in SA. Cooper Basin (SA) $90,000,000
MNGI Pty Ltd (Petratherm)* MNGI will aim to drill a second well, fracture the ground and complete flow tests utilising ERP funds. Paralana (SA) $12,997,300
Hybrid/Enabling
Project name Description Location Funding amount
The Hydro Electric Corporation Limited The King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project will integrate wind and solar energy and energy storage with a biodiesel generator to provide both base load and peak power to the King Island mini grid. King Island (TAS) $15,280,000
Ecoult The Project will investigate using UltraBattery energy storage technology to reduce energy storage and energy system costs in three different settings: residential areas, remote areas and in hybrid diesel systems. Sydney (NSW) $480,000
Hydropower
Project name Description Location Funding amount
Waratah Power Pty Ltd The Waratah Power study aims to provide Australian developers of small-scale hydropower technologies and projects with a more detailed understanding of the impacts from turbines on Australian native fish species. North Bondi and various sites across NSW $613,377
Ocean
Project name Description Location Funding amount
Carnegie Wave Energy Ltd The Perth Wave Energy Project will provide the demonstration and verification of a pilot scale grid connected CETO wave energy facility with initial power supplied to the grid in 2013. Garden Island (WA) $9,938,818
Victorian Wave Partners (VWP) Pty Ltd VWP will build a 19 megawatt ocean energy demonstration power station using Ocean Power Technologies Inc PowerBuoy technology.

Portland (VIC)

 $66,465,000
Oceanlinx Limited Oceanlinx's 1 megawatt Commercial Wave Energy Demonstrator Project aims to demonstrate Oceanlinx's shallow water technology—greenWAVE. Port MacDonnell (SA) $3,970,450
BioPower Systems Pty Ltd The bioWAVE Ocean Pilot at Port Fairy project aims to demonstrate BioPower's 250 kilowatt bioWAVE unit. The project will run out to 2015, which includes a two year operational testing period. Port Fairy (VIC) $5,600,000
Solar
Project name Description Location Funding amount
CS Energy Limited The CS Energy Kogan Creek Solar Boost project will demonstrate the use of solar thermal energy to provide a 44 megawatt boost to the Kogan Creek A coal-fired power station in Chinchilla, Qld. Chinchilla (QLD) $34,900,000
AGL Energy Ltd AGL Energy Ltd together with First Solar (Australia) Pty Ltd proposes to construct a 159 megawatt photovoltaic power plant across two sites near Broken Hill and Nyngan in NSW. Broken Hill and Nyngan (NSW) $170,400,000
Solar Systems Pty Ltd Funding is available for a 100 megawatt large-scale solar concentrator power project at Mildura to be delivered by Solar Systems Pty Ltd.  Funding is conditional on the successful completion of a 2 MW pre-production prototype plant, also located in Mildura. Mildura (VIC) $75,000,000
BlueScope Steel Limited BlueScope Steel will develop low cost building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) and BIPV-thermal systems for mass deployment on Australian residential and commercial/industrial rooftops. Port Kembla, with prototype installations in QLD, VIC and NSW $2,284,800
Geoscience Australia Provision of Spatial Information for Solar Resource Mapping Relating to High Solar Prospectivity Regions and Expansion of the Solar Observation Network Multiple sites $5,000,000
Australian Solar Thermal Energy Association AUSTELA will lead a collaborative research activity to quantify economic benefits from concentrating solar thermal-electricity generation in the National Electricity Market. QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA $85,215
Australian National University Process and Characterisation Solar Research Facility Canberra (ACT) $5,000,000
CSIRO Solar Thermal Research Hub Newcastle (NSW) $5,000,000
BT Imaging Pty Ltd Inline inspection tools for photovoltaic manufacturing Sydney (NSW) $2,250,000
Silanna Semiconductor Pty Ltd (previously Sapphicon Semiconductor Pty Ltd) A high efficiency, integrated solar module on a transparent substrate Sydney (NSW) $2,250,000
Australian National University Plasmonics for high efficiency solar cells Canberra (ACT) and Belgium, UK and Sweden $1,607,374
Australian National University Next generation SLIVER solar cells Canberra (ACT) $4,953,473
University of  NSW  Development and commercialisation of high efficiency silicon solar cell technology Sydney (NSW) $4,000,000
The University of Newcastle Fabrication of thermionic devices using directional solidification/sintering processes for high temperature CST applications Newcastle (NSW) $515,359
CSIRO Development of advanced solar thermal energy storage technologies for integration with energy-intensive industrial processes and electricity Newcastle (NSW) $3,755,765
 CSIRO Advanced steam-generating receivers for high-concentration solar collectors Newcastle (NSW) $2,821,978
University of  NSW  Overcoming the fundamental performance limitations of commercial solar cells Sydney (NSW) $4,400,000
The University of Queensland New materials and architectures for organic solar cells-beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit Brisbane (QLD) $945,817
University of NSW Tandem Quantum Dot solar cells Sydney (NSW) and Singapore $1,375,000
University of NSW 40% efficient photovoltaic “Power Cube” power tower receiver Sydney (NSW) $550,000
University of NSW Characterising and forecasting grid connected solar energy   Sydney (NSW), Adelaide (SA) and Melbourne (VIC) $470,284 
University of NSW  The Hot Carrier solar cell  Sydney (NSW) $563,906 
Australian National University  Industry ready n-type silicon solar cells  Canberra (ACT) $3,335,254 
Graphite Energy Pty Ltd  Commercialisation of the Graphite Energy solar storage receiver  Sydney (NSW) $1,835,000 
CSIRO  Characterising the effect of  high penetration solar intermittency on Australian electricity networks  Newcastle (NSW) $400,000
University of NSW Next generation crystalline silicon on glass modules  Sydney (NSW) $1,178,000
CSIRO Development of a thermoelectric generator for application in a concentrated solar thermal topping cycle  Newcastle (NSW) $2,200,912 
Australian National University Roof mounted hybrid CST system for distributed generation of heating, cooling and electricity   Canberra (ACT) $3,235,710 
The University of Melbourne Printing solar cells- A manufacturing proposition for Australia  Melbourne (VIC) $1,762,500 
CSIRO Solar air turbine systems  Newcastle (NSW) $3,055,000 
The University of Sydney Upconversion of the solar spectrum for improved PV energy conversion Sydney (NSW), Adelaide (SA), UK and Germany $487,584 
Vast Solar Pty Ltd Validation of performance modelling for 1.2MWth solar array with high temperature receiver and integrated thermal storage Jemalong  (NSW), Sydney (NSW) and Melbourne (VIC) $437,243
RayGen Resources Pty Ltd Central Receiver CPV Pilot Project – Stage 2 Melbourne  and Gannawarra (VIC) $1,750,000
CSIRO Evaluation and demonstration of hybridisation of CST with carbon capture and storage Newcastle (NSW) $667,500
CAT Projects Analysis of variations in instantaneous weather Alice Springs (NSW) $242,625
Solar Systems Pty Ltd High-efficiency multi-junction solar cells on low-cost, large-area silicon substrates Mildura (VIC) $2,000,000
Chromasun Pty Ltd Lowest LCOE: Australian pilot of rooftop CST and CPV-T micro-concentrator systems Sydney (NSW), Canberra (ACT), Echuca (VIC), Darling Heights (QLD), Fremantle (WA) $3,461,677
Granite Power Ltd Solar Supercritical Organic Rankine Cycle for power and industrial heat Newcastle (NSW) $770,000
CSIRO Solar hybrid fuels Newcastle (NSW) $1,585,853
Barbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia Development of high temperature phase change storage systems and a test facility Adelaide (SA), Whyalla (SA), Spain $689,500
CSIRO Solar energy management system for utilities Newcastle (NSW) $225,715
University of NSW Cost-effective GaAsP top solar cell grown on a high performance, low cost silicon solar cell Sydney (NSW) and multiple sites in the US $2,480,000 
University of NSW Multi-junction c-Si Solar Cells based on virtual Ge substrates  Sydney (NSW) and the US $1,265,000 
University of NSW Towards a practical Hot Carrier solar cell  Sydney (NSW) and multiple sites in the US $2,278,343
CSIRO  Solar-driven super-critical CO2 Brayton cycle  Newcastle (NSW) and multiple sites in the US $2,496,835 
CSIRO Improving translation models for predicting the energy yield of photovoltaic power systems  Newcastle (NSW), Alice Springs (NT) and the US $1,318,722 
Australian National University  Improved high-temperature receivers for dish concentrators  Canberra (ACT), Newcastle (NSW) and the US $1,436,210 
CSIRO Integrated solar radiation data sources over Australia Canberra (ACT), Melbourne (VIC) and the US $712,581
CSIRO Australian Solar Energy Forecasting System (ASEFS) - Phase 1 Canberra (ACT), Melbourne (VIC), Adelaide (SA), Sydney (NSW) and the US $3,089,000
Australian National University Machine-learning based forecasting of distributed solar energy Canberra (ACT) and multiple sites in the US $799,522
Brisbane Materials Technology Pty Ltd A pilot-scale plant for the production of solar anti-reflection (AR) coatings Brisbane (QLD) and multiple sites in the US $1,262,000
Australian Photovoltaic Association Data collection and analysis for development of a climate-based PV module rating scheme Sydney (NSW), Melbourne (VIC) and the US $268,320
Australian Photovoltaic Association Consumer and utility interest in active participation in the distributed energy market Sydney (NSW), Newcastle (NSW) and the US $173,550
University of NSW Low cost, high efficiency Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) on silicon multi-junction cells Sydney (NSW) and multiple sites in the US $1,511,828
CSIRO Optimisation of central receivers for advanced power cycles Newcastle (NSW) and multiple sites in the US $1,150,879
CSIRO Plug and play solar power: simplifying the integration of solar energy in hybrid applications Newcastle (NSW) and the US $1,292,725
CSIRO Deployment of combined cycle using solar reformed gas in North Western Australia Newcastle (NSW) and the US $351,453
University of NSW Tools for design and scale up of solar thermochemical reactors Sydney (NSW), Adelaide (SA) and the US $1,083,320
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Micro Urban Solar Integrated Concentrators (MUSIC) Centre Melbourne (VIC), Canberra (ACT), Sydney (NSW) and multiple sites in the US $4,521,191
University of NSW US-Australia Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics Sydney (NSW) and multiple other Australian sites, and US sites $33,000,000
CSIRO Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative Newcastle (NSW) and multiple other Australian sites, and US sites $35,000,000
The University of Melbourne Enhancing efficiencies in printed solar cells by controlling morphology development Melbourne (VIC) and multiple sites in Germany $500,000
University of NSW Si nanocrystals embedded in silicon oxide and nitride as nanoscale heterojunction for third generation photovoltaics Sydney (NSW) and multiple sites in Germany $500,000
Bluescope Steel Limited Expanding the value proposition for Building Integrated Photovoltaics: Thin-film Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal retrofitting of buildings  Wollongong (NSW) and Germany $477,320
Australian National University Local doping using Laser Chemical Processing technology for advanced silicon solar cells Canberra (ACT) and Germany $352,365
University of NSW Time and spectrally-resolved photoluminescence for silicon solar cell characterisation Sydney (NSW), Canberra (ACT) and Germany $490,166
RATCH-Australia Corporation Limited RATCH-Australia Corporation Limited will assess the viability of converting the existing 180 MW coal-fired Collinsville Power Station in Queensland to a 30 MW hybrid solar thermal/gas power station Collinsville (QLD) $2,500,000
Ipsos Social Research Institute Ipsos will investigate levels of community awareness and attitudes towards large-scale solar installations, and will develop best practice guidelines for the development of large scale solar projects. Melbourne (VIC) $153,388
Monica Oliphant Research Monica Oliphant Research will investigate “community-owned” business models for renewable energy projects. Adelaide (SA) $15,000
AUSTELA AUSTELA will work with NREL to modify its “System Advisor Model” to suit Australian locations and markets. Sydney (NSW) $73,500
Renewable Energy Industry Capacity Building
Project name Description Location Funding amount
University of Melbourne (UoM) UoM will conduct a study into achieving cost efficient abatement from Australian electricity generation, which includes the development of software for modelling the operation and performance of the National Electricity Market under different renewable energy penetrations. Melbourne $931,000
Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund The Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund will make equity investments in early-stage Australian renewable energy companies to help them overcome capital constraints, develop technologies, increase skills and forge international connections. Softbank China Venture Capital will match the Australian Government's $100 million investment up front and dollar for dollar. Sydney, Australia; Silicon Valley, USA; SBCVC's offices in Shanghai. $100,000,000

*MNGI Pty Ltd (Petratherm) geothermal projects

Sunmmary—Petratherm ARENA grants
Program Original agreements Current agreements
Geothermal Drilling Program (GDP)
  • Grant: $7m
  • Total project: $52m
  • Scope: The project aimed to drill two wells, fracture the ground and complete test flows.
 The agreement expired 30 November 2012 and was formally terminated by mutual agreement. The first well was completed under the program.
Emerging Renewables Program (ERP) N/A
  • Grant: $12.99m
  • Total project: $27.3m
  • Scope: The project aims to drill the second well, fracture the ground and complete test flows. The first well completed under the GDP project will be used to complete the flow test for this project.
Renewable Energy Demonstration Program (REDP)
The program did not transfer to ARENA, only the individual projects were transferred.
  • Grant: $63m
  • Total project: $203.4mm
  • Scope: The 30 MW project aimed to drill tenpairs of wells and install a 3.5 MW turbine to each pair.
  • Grant: $24.5m
  • Total project: $73.6mm
  • Scope: The revised 7 MW project aims to replicate the process by drilling a second pair of wells and install a 3.5 MW turbine to each pair. This project will not commence until the ERP project is successfully complete (scheduled for late 2015). These two wells from the previous ERP and GDP project will be used to complete this project.