China solar powered generator in Australia

Where China once built an industry from Australian innovation, Australia now needs China's help to do the same. To build low-cost panels at scale, experts say Australia needs access to the production line technology and manufacturing patents China has developed over the past 20 years. So, what does it take to build a solar panel?

Source: CSIS With 99 per cent of Australia's solar panels imported, there is only one manufacturer – Tindo Solar, an Adelaide-based company that assembles solar panels using imported silicon cells. The Federal Government is keen to increase the capacity of local manufacturing to capture a bigger market share.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) last year funded the Australian Photovoltaics Institute (APVI), working with Deloitte and a group of key industry stakeholders, to investigate the feasibility of Australia setting up its own solar manufacturing industry.

China dominates global solar manufacturing, but Chinese companies may be interested in expanding to Australia, experts say. (Getty: Song Wei/VCG)

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Dr Shi opening China's first solar module production line in 2002 alongside UNSW staff. (Supplied: Martin Green) Aside from ingot and wafer production, Australia may also need Chinese expertise to refine polysilicon and manufacture solar cells at scale, Professor Egan, also a co-author of Silicon 2 Solar, said.