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About the TCC pilot round  

The pilot round of the Technology Commercialisation Challenge (TCC 1.0) supported six partnerships between Australian research organisations and Indian renewable energy manufacturers.

The TCC 1.0 was designed to fast‑track commercialisation pathways between Australian Research Organisations and India’s rapidly growing renewable energy manufacturing sector. Delivered over six months, the pilot round provided each research group up to $50,000 in grant funding, plus travel allowance, to support the partnerships working across solar photovoltaics, hydrogen and battery technologies.

Through TCC 1.0, Australian research groups collaborated with Indian manufacturers via facilitated technical deep‑dive meetings, site visits and industry roundtables, including a five‑day in-person event in India providing an opportunity to meet with the Indian partners to scope and refine collaborative project opportunities, and attend an event hosted at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. They also undertook challenge‑specific research planning, early validation activities, and access to capability‑building modules covering India’s market, regulatory and commercialisation landscape. 

Meet our pilot cohort 

The pilot partnerships explored solutions such as advancing next‑generation batteries and recycling, scalable hydrogen production and export infrastructure, and high‑efficiency, locally manufacturable solar PV, strengthening bilateral supply chains and accelerating the commercialisation of clean‑energy solutions with global impact.

Research organisation Indian partner/ challenge focus area

Australian National University

Lead researcher:
Dr Rabin Basnet

Indosol Solar

Solar: Optimisation and development of manufacturing processes for enhanced solar cell production

University of New South Wales

Lead researcher:
Professor Veena Sahajwalla

JSW Group

Hydrogen: Develop in-situ hydrogen generation from waste polymers to enable reduced carbon emissions in the manufacture of green steel.

Australian National University

Lead researcher:
Professor Siva Karuturi

Thermax

Hydrogen: Material engineering strategies to improve electrolyser performance and minimise performance losses.

Deakin University

Lead researcher:
Dr Mega Kar

LOHUM

Batteries: Battery material production and recycling optimisation.

University of New South Wales

Lead researcher:
Dr Michael Nielsen

Rayzon Solar

Solar: UV induced degradation analysis to identify opportunities for product enhancement.

RMIT

Lead researcher:
Associate Professor Ken Chiang

h2e Power

Hydrogen: Process improvements in nitrogen supply and ammonia production including catalysts for liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC).

Uniting research and manufacturing to boost solar reliability 

Through the TCC pilot, Rayzon Solar and UNSW have commenced a collaborative research process, beginning with a joint lab and manufacturing‑line visit with a focus on mitigating UV‑induced degradation in TOPCon cells.

This work is expected to produce more durable, higher‑performing solar modules and strengthen bilateral clean‑energy cooperation by combining UNSW’s research expertise, CSIRO’s facilitation, and Rayzon Solar’s manufacturing capabilities.

Acknowledgement

The Technology Commercialisation Challenge, part of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership, is funded by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and delivered by CSIRO. 

About the TCC pilot round  

The pilot round of the Technology Commercialisation Challenge (TCC 1.0) supported six partnerships between Australian research organisations and Indian renewable energy manufacturers.

The TCC 1.0 was designed to fast‑track commercialisation pathways between Australian Research Organisations and India’s rapidly growing renewable energy manufacturing sector. Delivered over six months, the pilot round provided each research group up to $50,000 in grant funding, plus travel allowance, to support the partnerships working across solar photovoltaics, hydrogen and battery technologies.

Through TCC 1.0, Australian research groups collaborated with Indian manufacturers via facilitated technical deep‑dive meetings, site visits and industry roundtables, including a five‑day in-person event in India providing an opportunity to meet with the Indian partners to scope and refine collaborative project opportunities, and attend an event hosted at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. They also undertook challenge‑specific research planning, early validation activities, and access to capability‑building modules covering India’s market, regulatory and commercialisation landscape. 

Meet our pilot cohort 

The pilot partnerships explored solutions such as advancing next‑generation batteries and recycling, scalable hydrogen production and export infrastructure, and high‑efficiency, locally manufacturable solar PV, strengthening bilateral supply chains and accelerating the commercialisation of clean‑energy solutions with global impact.

Research organisation Indian partner/ challenge focus area

Australian National University

Lead researcher:
Dr Rabin Basnet

Indosol Solar

Solar: Optimisation and development of manufacturing processes for enhanced solar cell production

University of New South Wales

Lead researcher:
Professor Veena Sahajwalla

JSW Group

Hydrogen: Develop in-situ hydrogen generation from waste polymers to enable reduced carbon emissions in the manufacture of green steel.

Australian National University

Lead researcher:
Professor Siva Karuturi

Thermax

Hydrogen: Material engineering strategies to improve electrolyser performance and minimise performance losses.

Deakin University

Lead researcher:
Dr Mega Kar

LOHUM

Batteries: Battery material production and recycling optimisation.

University of New South Wales

Lead researcher:
Dr Michael Nielsen

Rayzon Solar

Solar: UV induced degradation analysis to identify opportunities for product enhancement.

RMIT

Lead researcher:
Associate Professor Ken Chiang

h2e Power

Hydrogen: Process improvements in nitrogen supply and ammonia production including catalysts for liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC).

Uniting research and manufacturing to boost solar reliability 

Through the TCC pilot, Rayzon Solar and UNSW have commenced a collaborative research process, beginning with a joint lab and manufacturing‑line visit with a focus on mitigating UV‑induced degradation in TOPCon cells.

This work is expected to produce more durable, higher‑performing solar modules and strengthen bilateral clean‑energy cooperation by combining UNSW’s research expertise, CSIRO’s facilitation, and Rayzon Solar’s manufacturing capabilities.

Acknowledgement

The Technology Commercialisation Challenge, part of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership, is funded by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and delivered by CSIRO.