We chat with Vince Allen from SunDrive, a Sydney-based startup on a mission to transform Australia into a solar manufacturing powerhouse.

In 2021, SunDrive made headlines by developing the world's most efficient commercial-sized solar cell. Not only that - by swapping silver with copper as the conductive material their products could be lower cost too. With over $30 million in funding from high-profile investors like Blackbird, Mike Cannon-Brookes, Main Sequence Ventures, Malcolm Turnbull, and CEFC/Virescent Ventures, they're a force to be reckoned with.

We loved this chat and especially Vince's love of solar, passion for Australia's great opportunity and also his toast analogy to explain how a solar panel actually works. 

We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com.au).

**

Don't miss out on future episodes—hit that follow button! Your reviews and ratings on Apple and Spotify really help us reach more listeners, so we'd love your support. 

You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate. 

**

Chapters
(00:00 ) Intro: Nick and Alex set the scene (Bonus: Nick's Rant)

(6:17 ) The Unstoppable March of Solar Energy

(10:34 ) The SunDrive Origin Story, Vince's Love Affair with Solar

(14:27 ) The Toast Analogy: Where SunDrive Fits in the Solar Ecosystem

(23:49 ) What's Next for SunDrive

(25:49 ) Making the Case for Australian Solar Manufacturing

(31:39 ) Australia's Competitive Edge in Solar

(39:01 ) The Transformative Potential of Low-Cost Solar

***

About the podcast

A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference. 

Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay.

Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more.

Music by the late, great Nick Weaver

Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media

Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair Perkins

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.