At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) highlighted its vision for ultra low-cost solar, emphasizing efforts to reduce solar costs, enhance efficiency, and automate installations.
Accelerating Solar Deployment
ARENA’s Elicia Cantelo outlined ambitious goals, including achieving 30% solar module efficiency, reducing costs by two-thirds by 2030, and scaling installation rates ten-fold by 2050.
Global Panel of Experts
Panelists included:
Dr Martin Keller (US NREL Director): Advocated research-industry partnerships for innovation.
Dr Rodrigo Sauaia (ABSOLAR CEO): Proposed automating solar deployment as an "industrial line in open sky."
Georgia Holt (Climate Connect): Stressed the importance of First Nations engagement, equitable revenue sharing, and community capacity-building.
Social Licence and Community Involvement
Ms Cantelo emphasized solar's unique advantage: public familiarity, which lowers adoption barriers. Discussions also centered on transparent communication and inclusion in regional and Indigenous communities.
Key Takeaways