For Australia to achieve its climate targets, guarantee its energy security, and enjoy low energy costs into the future, rapid deployment of renewable energy technologies is urgently required. Australia enjoys several natural and economic advantages – including core critical mineral stocks and an advanced mining sector – that positions us as a potential renewable technology leader of the future.

However, Australian industry is struggling to effectively capitalise on these advantages due to critical gaps across the domestic renewable technology supply chain. At a time when many nations are accelerating domestic renewable technology manufacturing to meet international demand while also shoring up their own energy security, these gaps in Australia’s renewable technology capabilities represent a major export opportunity cost, pose risks to future energy sovereignty, and are hampering our ability to meet net zero targets.  

The Minerals to Megawatts CRC will address industry challenges at crucial junctures of the renewable technologies supply chain:

• Risks in supply chain continuity and provenance, and cybersecurity threats

• Gaps in pre-deployment testing for new materials and technologies

• Lack of infrastructure for grid integration and situation testing

• Lack of common safety standards for connections and fire hazards

• Gaps in certification processes for batteries and renewable technology components

• Shortage of an appropriately skilled and diverse workforce – that can design, install and maintain renewable technologies across multiple settings.