The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to $151 million in conditional funding for a 500 MW per annum solar module factory in the Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley Solar Foundry was proposed by Sunman Group, founded by Dr Zhengrong Shi. The project aimed to establish an advanced manufacturing facility using Sunman’s lightweight eArc technology. ARENA stated that the initiative aligned with national goals to expand domestic manufacturing and reduce import reliance. The facility planned to make both eArc and glass solar modules. It also planned to run a solar innovation hub and provide manufacturing capacity for other equipment makers. The construction was expected to create about 200 jobs, with 100 permanent roles later. The project also included training programs, First Nations hiring plans and scholarships for students. Recently, ARENA and Fortescue launched the Pilbara Solar Innovation Hub in Australia, offering another step toward expanding national solar innovation efforts.