SunDrive Solar
Unlocking solar’ s full potential with next-generation copper plating technology
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Challenge
Applying silver is the most expensive solar cell production step, and manufacturers face rising silver costs and supply risks, with the industry consuming 30 % of global industrial supply. Next-gen solar technologies demand even more silver, further constraining growth. Manufacturers need a scalable, cost-effective and material-abundant alternative while maintaining or improving performance.
Solution
SunDrive’ s technology replaces silver with copper – a metal 100x cheaper per kilogram and 1000x more abundant. SunDrive has demonstrated its technology on a large pilot scale, having developed the world’ s first fully automated silicon heterojunction direct copper plating pilot line, achieving production yields above 99 %.
Partnering with global equipment suppliers, SunDrive is now industrialising the technology at scale. At the module level, copper modules have also demonstrated higher efficiency and greater durability.
Target customers / end-users
• global solar cell and module manufacturers
• utility, commercial and residential customers seeking higher-performance solar.
Progress
• world-record 25.54 % efficiency( 2021), now > 26.6 %
• production yields > 99 % on world-first automated silicon heterojunction direct-copper plating pilot line
• investors: ARENA, Australia’ s leading VC( Blackbird, Main Sequence, Virescent Ventures, Grok Ventures).
Spinout
Validated( real-world setting)
TRL 6
Sustainable transition
Climate & Clean Energy
SunDrive replaces silver with copper in solar cell manufacturing – a more abundant, cost-effective and sustainable material. Using proprietary electroplating technology, SunDrive’ s next-gen technology aims to reduce material costs while increasing performance. With record-breaking cell efficiency, SunDrive is positioned to deliver commercially competitive nextgen solar technology at scale.