Plans to establish Australia’s first commercial-scale solar block and wafer manufacturing plant near Townsville in north Queensland are progressing, with developer Stellar PV providing the first glimpse of the proposed 2GW facility.
Australian company Stellar PV has released renderings of a 2 GW polysilicon rod drawing and wafering facility planned for North Queensland as it continues the feasibility and engineering design phase of the project.
The factory, to be built in the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, about 40 kilometers south of Townsville, would produce high-purity monocrystalline silicon rods and wafers – essential components in global solar panel production.
Sydney-registered Stellar said the project will support high-quality solar energy production that converts Australian expertise and resources into globally competitive capability and provide an alternative supply chain for both the global and domestic solar markets.
“This project represents a high-impact opportunity to localize one of the most value-creating stages of the global solar supply chain,” the spokesperson said. company said. “As global markets increasingly prioritize secure, traceable and low-carbon supply chains, domestic silicon production will play an important role in Australia’s clean energy and industrial future. The focus now is on bringing this vision to life.”
Stellar said it will use the Czochralski method to manufacture monocrystalline silicon rods, saying the technique produces superior crystal uniformity and purity, both of which are essential for building high-efficiency solar cells.
“By integrating automation and AI, Stellar PV will monitor key parameters such as temperature, pulling speed and rotation speed in real time,” the company said. “This improves process stability, reduces defects and improves overall yield. The result is highly pure, uniform blocks that enable the production of high-quality solar wafers, which form the basis for high-performance solar cells.”
Stellar, that was last year awarded AUD 4.7 million ($3.15 million) through the federal government’s AUD 1 billion Solar Sunset Program for the feasibility and technical design phase, aims for production by the end of 2028, pending regulatory approval.
Once operational, the facility is expected to support more than 300 jobs.
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