Australia is moving closer to ultra low-cost solar, but the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has warned that changes to how utility-scale solar projects are built and delivered will be needed to realise the opportunity.

According to ARENA’s Ultra Low-Cost Solar White Paper Update, released on 30 July 2026, advances in solar technology are continuing, but the speed and scale of large-scale project delivery has emerged as a key challenge.

In a news release, ARENA said ultra low-cost solar could provide cheaper renewable electricity and support the development of energy-intensive industries such as green metals and fuels.

“Australia needs a shift in focus towards how solar projects are delivered, not just what is installed,” ARENA CEO Darren Miller said.

ARENA said its analysis showed projects supported through its funding portfolio were demonstrating faster, more standardised and safer approaches to large-scale solar deployment. However, the agency identified workforce constraints, a more challenging investment environment, grid connection delays and inflation as pressures slowing deployment.

ARENA said its portfolio of ultra low-cost solar projects is testing new approaches to construction, integration and test-bed environments, with the aim of accelerating cost reductions across the sector this decade.

The agency highlighted projects including 5B’s modular solar systems, Built Robotics’ automated piling technology, Nextpower’s deployment technologies and Luminous Robotics’ installation systems, which it said are focused on reducing construction times, improving safety and enabling more efficient delivery at scale.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the potential for ultra low-cost solar remained significant as Australia entered the next phase of its energy transition.

“Australia has a strong foundation in solar, but the next phase will depend on how quickly we can translate innovation into industrialisation,” Mr Miller said.

“The progress we’re seeing today gives us confidence in what’s possible, but the next few years will be critical to turning this potential into reality.”

ARENA said its updated analysis highlights the need to move innovations from demonstration and testing into wider commercial deployment if Australia is to accelerate solar cost reductions.

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The Western Australian Government is investing more than $2 million in new equipment at South Metropolitan TAFE to support training in priority industries including manufacturing, automation, clean energy and electrical occupations.

The funding, provided through the TAFE Modern Equipment Program, will deliver new equipment across the Murdoch, Mandurah, Carlisle and Thornlie campuses.

At Murdoch and Mandurah, a new science equipment package will include a high-pressure liquid chromatograph, atomic absorption spectrometers, compound microscopes, pH meters, a UV-vis spectrophotometer, analytical balances and dissecting microscopes. 

The equipment will be used for training in laboratory technology and techniques, environmental science and biotechnology, the government said in a news release. 

The Carlisle campus will receive three electric vehicle high-voltage simulators and three controller area network (CAN) system trainers, while Thornlie campus will receive a physical model city to support practical cybersecurity and networking training.

According to the WA Government, the equipment will support training in priority occupations including clean energy and electrical, building and construction, the care economy, driver training, automation and manufacturing.

Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the investment was intended to ensure TAFE facilities and equipment reflected current industry requirements.

“Western Australia’s economy depends on a skilled local workforce, and we’re ensuring our TAFEs have the modern facilities and equipment needed to deliver high-quality training,” Sanderson said.

The investment comes alongside increased enrolments at South Metropolitan TAFE’s Murdoch Campus in several fee-free and low-fee courses since fee-free training was introduced in 2023.

The Government said enrolments in the Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies increased by 153 per cent, while Certificate IV in Youth Work rose 100 per cent. The Business Ready Skill Set increased by 52 per cent, Certificate IV in Horticulture by 31 per cent and Certificate IV in Cyber Security by 26 per cent.

“The strong enrolment growth at Murdoch Campus shows that people are taking up these opportunities and pursuing training in industries where skilled workers are needed,” Sanderson said.

Bicton MLA Lisa O’Malley said the investment would provide students with training pathways into sectors including manufacturing and decarbonisation.

“The Fee Free training initiative is assisting many throughout Bicton and beyond to gain key skills for their transition into the in-demand clean energy, building, construction, electrical, manufacturing and decarbonisation sectors,” O’Malley said.

The Fee Free training initiative is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments.

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Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a 3D-printable material that mimics the ability of human tissue to sort and filter molecules, with potential applications spanning medicine, robotics, water treatment and critical mineral recovery.

The material, developed by a team led by Manish Kumar, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering, is made by tightly packing billions of tiny water droplets using mixing and centrifuge techniques. 

In a media release, the researchers said the approach can produce large, tissue-like materials within minutes, addressing the slow formation and scalability challenges associated with existing methods.

“Tissues can separate and transport ions and molecules; that’s how our kidneys or intestines work, taking only what they need and leaving the rest behind,” Kumar said.

According to the University of Texas at Austin, each droplet is separated by a thin membrane, allowing the membranes to connect and form a structure resembling the organisation of cells in human tissue. 

The material can also be customised for different functions and 3D-printed using biocompatible materials.

The researchers said this could allow the material to serve as a scaffold for growing new tissues or organs. Its flexibility and responsiveness may also make it suitable for soft robotics, including machines designed for applications such as surgery, search and rescue, and hazardous environments.

In one application, the team added proteins that enabled the material to conduct ion currents, similar to nerve tissue. The researchers said this could support the development of computing systems inspired by the human brain.

Another version was designed to distinguish ammonium from other ions in wastewater, including wastewater associated with oil and gas extraction and municipal treatment. The team said the membrane-based filtering capability could potentially be used to recover critical mineral ions and nutrients from wastewater.

The research, published in Nature Materials, builds on more than a decade of work by Kumar’s group. The latest development was led by student Aida Fica, who developed the approach after encountering repeated challenges with slow formation and material instability.

Using emulsification, the researchers combined two oils with different solubilities to form droplets before tightly packing them through centrifugation.

“This technology now offers a simple, scalable process with endless applications that could be implemented in any laboratory since it only requires basic equipment,” Fica said.

The team is now adapting the technology to recover lithium and other rare-earth elements through a project with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Fica and Kumar have also patented the technology and several downstream applications through UT’s Discovery to Impact office.

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Australian manufacturing analytics start-up MotionLogic has been named one of seven finalists in Propel-AIR 2026, an artificial intelligence and robotics program delivered by the ARM Hub AI Adopt Centre.

The Newcastle-based company is developing a computer vision platform designed to measure worker movement on manufacturing floors and identify time spent on activities that do not directly contribute to production.

According to ARM Hub, MotionLogic uses fixed cameras to analyse worker movements as pose-tracked data, classifying activity as task-time or non-task-time, including preparation, repositioning and tool use.

“We’ve built an optical interpretation layer for ergonomics and productivity,” MotionLogic principal Alex McClung said. “It interprets the structure and events of manufacturing operations, looking at how items move over space and time.”

The company said its system can also identify safety and ergonomic indicators, including joint angles and interactions between workers, materials and tools.

MotionLogic is targeting large-format manufacturers with complex assembly processes, including aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding and machinery overhauls.

It said its own evaluation footage recorded around 70 per cent of observed work time as non-value-add motion, although the release did not provide further details on the evaluation methodology.

ARM Hub said the company has implemented its platform at an ASX-listed company and is beginning a deployment with a multinational organisation.

The winner of Propel-AIR 2026 will receive a one-month residency at MassRobotics in Boston, with access to robotics companies and institutions including MIT and Harvard.

ARM Hub described Propel-AIR as an AI and robotics sprint intended to help Australian innovators develop business opportunities and international networks. MotionLogic was founded in 2026 by McClung.

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Engineers at The University of Queensland (UQ) have developed a floating wind turbine design they say could reduce the cost of offshore wind structures by 40 per cent.

UQ Associate Professor Wenhua Zhao has tested a scale model designed to support a 3.6-megawatt turbine, with an 87-metre tower and blades spanning 120 metres in diameter. The proposed structure is designed to operate in water depths of up to 200 metres.

According to UQ, floating offshore wind turbines can access stronger and more consistent winds in deeper waters, expanding the areas available for renewable energy generation. However, their adoption has been constrained by the cost of complex floating substructures and anchoring systems.

“The issue is not about whether floating turbines work, or whether they offer benefits for shipbuilders, resources companies, or aquaculture,” Dr Zhao said.

“The issue is the price. Floating turbines are currently about twice as expensive as turbines fixed in shallow waters, and almost four times the cost of land-based turbines.”

Dr Zhao and colleagues at UQ’s School of Civil Engineering used geometry based on offshore hydrodynamics principles to develop the scale model. UQ said the design uses conventional marine construction materials and internal stabilisation features to reduce costs and improve stability.

“Using conventional marine construction materials in a cost-conscious configuration allowed us to significantly reduce costs,” Dr Zhao said.

Deep-ocean and extreme-weather simulations indicated the design could withstand a one-in-100-year storm and operate in waters up to 200 metres deep, compared with the reported 50 to 60-metre depth limit for fixed offshore turbines.

Further testing at a wave basin facility at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China provided additional validation of the design, according to UQ.

Dr Zhao said the technology could be ready for commercial adaptation or implementation within two years, while work with industry partners is also examining smaller versions for niche offshore applications.

“We see tremendous potential for this technology to be adopted across Australian offshore industries,” he said.

“It could provide clean, reliable power for offshore operations, the decommissioning of ageing offshore platforms, emerging offshore aquaculture, and future deep-sea data centres.”

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MCi Carbon has announced a collaboration with engineering and consulting firm Hatch to support the engineering, assessment and commercial deployment of its mineral carbonation technology.

Under the collaboration, Hatch will assist MCi Carbon with feasibility studies, engineering, plant development and project delivery planning for commercial-scale mineral carbonation projects.

MCi Carbon said its technology uses mineral carbonation to permanently bind carbon dioxide (CO2) into solid materials, which can then be used as low-carbon inputs in industrial and construction supply chains.

The company said the collaboration is intended to help establish “robust, scalable and commercially deployable project pathways” for the technology.

“Design has started on our first commercial plants. Hatch’s engineering expertise strengthens our ability to roll out this technology globally,” MCi Carbon CEO Marcus Dawe said.

“This partnership positions us to turn our pipeline of customer opportunities into delivered projects,” he said.

Hatch Australia-Asia Regional Director, Climate Change Wendy Harris said the company would provide engineering support and technical expertise as MCi advances its project development activities.

“We look forward to working with the MCi team as they continue to advance the technology and evaluate opportunities for future commercial deployment,” Harris said, adding that the collaboration would focus on scale-up, technology integration and execution planning.

The companies said they would continue working together to identify and progress mineral carbonation opportunities across relevant industrial sectors.

The announcement follows the opening of MCi Carbon’s Myrtle facility at Kooragang Island in Newcastle in June 2026. The company said the facility, described as the world’s first “carbon refinery”, marked a step in the transition of its technology towards commercial-scale deployment.

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Australia could unlock billions of dollars in manufacturing investment by accelerating the development of low-emissions steelmaking, according to a new report from Climate Energy Finance (CEF), which warns that the country’s iron ore export industry faces growing exposure as global steelmakers decarbonise.

The report, Arc of Ambition, calls for a National Iron and Steel Decarbonisation Strategy, a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and strategic investment in domestic green steelmaking as Australia seeks to strengthen its position in evolving global supply chains.

CEF said Australia’s position as the world’s largest iron ore exporter was increasingly exposed because major North Asian trading partners are moving to reduce emissions from steel production, while much of Australia’s Pilbara ore is higher impurity and lower grade.

The report said this transition could put Australia’s $120 billion-a-year iron ore export sector at risk, while also creating an opportunity to expand manufacturing through electric arc furnaces (EAFs).

EAFs use electricity, including renewable power, to produce steel and can operate at substantially lower emissions than traditional coal-fired blast furnaces, according to CEF. The report identified potential EAF projects in Collie in Western Australia, Whyalla in South Australia and greater Brisbane in Queensland as early opportunities.

CEF Head of Research and lead author Matt Pollard said the transition could help rebuild Australia’s manufacturing capabilities while developing experience in coordinating large industrial projects.

“Domestic statecraft to build Australia’s EAF-based low-emissions steel industry would allow government to build expertise in coordinating investment, aligning common user infrastructure, supporting critical supply chains, enabling skilled workforce development, and adapting policy,” Pollard said.

CEF said developing EAF capacity could also support new renewable energy investment and regional employment, while creating potential future demand for green iron production.

CEF Director and report co-author Tim Buckley said government policy would be important in making low-emissions steel projects commercially viable.

“Australia needs to see that FMIA is more than a slogan, and that real low emissions industries of the future are being built, bringing regional investment, new high value employment opportunities and enhancing our trade profiles,” Buckley said.

The report recommends changes to industrial policy, including a carbon border adjustment mechanism for emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries such as steel, as well as an eventual phase-out of exemptions under the Safeguard Mechanism.

Buckley said EAFs using renewable energy, scrap steel and direct reduced iron demonstrated that lower-emissions steelmaking was possible, while arguing that further public support was needed to help industry invest in new facilities.

UNSW Professor Liz Thurbon, Director of the Green Energy Statecraft Project and author of the report’s foreword, said building new industries would require governments to coordinate infrastructure, finance, procurement, regulation and skills.

“The great strength of this report is that it connects Australia’s resource and renewable-energy endowments with a practical pathway for industrial renewal in the iron and steel sector,” Thurbon said.

CEF said steelmaking accounted for 9.4% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2024, making steel decarbonisation a major opportunity for emissions reduction outside the electricity sector.

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Australian industry has reached a new milestone under AUKUS, with Australian-made steel set to be used to build US Navy Virginia-class submarines for the first time, according to the Australian Submarine Agency.

In a news release, the agency said Australian steelmaker Bisalloy Steels had received a purchase order worth about US$2 million from General Dynamics Electric Boat for HY80 steel plate used in Virginia-class submarine construction.

The order follows Bisalloy’s successful qualification under the Australian Government’s Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program. The program is designed to help Australian companies meet the strict requirements needed to supply the US and UK submarine industries.

The Australian Submarine Agency said the qualification involved cooperation between Bisalloy, BlueScope, General Dynamics Electric Boat and government representatives to demonstrate that the companies could meet the standards required for submarine construction.

BlueScope produces the steel plate in Australia, while Bisalloy carries out additional processing and heat treatment to produce HY80 steel. The agency said the material underwent extensive testing during the qualification process.

HY80 is a high-strength steel designed for demanding naval applications. In this case, the qualification process was intended to demonstrate that Australian-produced material could meet the requirements for use in US submarine construction.

Kylie Wright, Head of Workforce and Supply Chain at the Australian Submarine Agency, said the order demonstrated that Australian companies could meet the high standards required by the US submarine sector.

“This milestone shows Australian companies can meet the rigorous standards needed to support one of the world’s most advanced submarine programs,” Wright said.

She said the result was also the product of cooperation between companies, governments and shipbuilders involved in AUKUS.

“It is the result of strong collaboration between industry, governments and shipbuilders across the AUKUS partnership, and reflects the capability that exists within Australia’s manufacturing sector,” Wright said.

According to the agency, the order also represents a move from Australian companies undergoing qualification to actually supplying products to allied submarine programs.

“AUKUS is creating real opportunities for Australian industry,” Wright said. “Through programs like DIVQ, we are helping Australian suppliers build the skills, processes and credentials needed to compete for work in the trilateral submarine industrial base.”

The agency said the first order would give Australian industry experience in supplying the US submarine sector and could help position local companies for further opportunities under AUKUS.

It said the development was also relevant to Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine program, as the country works to build the industrial skills and supply chains needed to support the future submarine enterprise.

The Australian Submarine Agency said steel supply was a priority for the US as it works to expand its submarine-building capacity. It said Australian suppliers could contribute to those efforts while building manufacturing capability at home.

The Bisalloy order is the latest example of an Australian company gaining access to an AUKUS submarine supply chain through the DIVQ Program, which forms part of Australia’s AUKUS Submarine Industry Strategy.

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Diversified Australia has launched FoodTech Sydney, a new trade event focused on advanced food manufacturing, production technology and sustainable operations, with the inaugural event set to take place at ICC Sydney on 17 and 18 August 2027.

Announced during foodpro 2026 in Melbourne, the event is designed to serve New South Wales, which Diversified Australia identifies as Australia’s second-largest food manufacturing market. The organiser said NSW has not previously had a dedicated, locally hosted event focused on the sector.

FoodTech Sydney will cover five areas: advanced processing and automation; intelligent and digital factories; ingredients and additives; food science, quality and testing; and packaging technology and materials.

Diversified Australia said the event will focus on manufacturers that are evaluating, integrating and implementing technologies, rather than those in the initial discovery stage.

“NSW manufacturers told us the same thing consistently: they were ready to act, but there was no event built for where they actually are in the buying cycle,” said Louise Brooks, Event Director at Diversified Australia. “FoodTech Sydney is that event — specialist, held locally, and focused on implementation, not browsing.”

The organiser said research involving more than 200 industry stakeholders found that 74.7% of manufacturers identified return on investment and cost confidence as the primary barrier to adopting new technology.

According to Diversified Australia, the event’s demonstration-led format will aim to address this concern by allowing visitors to assess technology through live demonstrations, operator-led case studies and discussions focused on commercial and operational outcomes.

Several companies, including Oestegaard, Contech, Gelita and Visy, committed to the inaugural event during its launch at foodpro 2026, the organiser said.

FoodTech Sydney will form part of Diversified Australia’s national food manufacturing event portfolio, alongside foodpro Melbourne in 2026 and 2029 and FoodTech QLD Brisbane in 2028.

“foodpro secures the sale. FoodTech Sydney maximises the investment,” Brooks said. “With FoodTech QLD to follow, exhibitors now have a continuous, three-market conversation with the industry — they’re not repeating themselves each year, they’re advancing the relationship.”

Diversified Australia said FoodTech Sydney is targeting more than 100 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors for its 2027 event.

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Australian agriculture is facing a series of near-term decisions that could influence its productivity, profitability and sustainability through to 2050, according to a new discussion paper from CSIRO and the Australian Farm Institute.

The paper, Ag2050 next steps – scenarios to decisions, identifies decisions, uncertainties and practical actions across areas including sovereign security, resilience, sustainability reporting and agricultural innovation.

CSIRO Program Lead Dr Rose Roche said the paper builds on a multi-year program examining possible futures for Australian farming.

“We started in 2024 working with industry to co-design four evidence-based future scenarios for Australian farming systems, exploring their benefits and trade-offs, which we presented in the Ag2050 Scenarios Report,” said Dr Roche.

The scenarios range from a technologically advanced and consolidated agricultural sector focused on productivity and growth, to a more diversified model incorporating carbon sequestration, biodiversity and energy production. Other scenarios examine incremental adaptation to climate impacts and the potential for declining productivity and resilience if responses to emerging challenges are delayed.

Dr Katherine Wynn, who led the development of the scenarios and stakeholder roundtable, said the process highlighted areas where uncertainty could slow decision-making.

“When the Ag2050 scenarios were developed, many of these challenges were still emerging,” Dr Wynn said.

“Today they are embedded in decision-making across government and industry, making it more important than ever to understand how today’s choices are shaping Australia’s agricultural future.”

The discussion paper follows an Ag2050 roundtable held in March involving representatives from government, industry, research, regional and Indigenous organisations.

Australian Farm Institute Executive Director Katie McRobert said decisions made in the near term would have consequences for the sector’s development.

“The strategic choices that we make today are going to have significant impact in the years leading to 2050,” McRobert said.

The organisations said the discussion paper is intended to support further discussion among government, industry, research, regional and Indigenous organisations on the evidence, coordination and decisions needed to shape Australia’s agricultural future.

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