Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a $1 billion program to boost solar panel manufacturing in Australia.

Albanese made the announcement at the proposed site for a solar manufacturing hub in the New South Wales Hunter Valley region.  The billion dollar Solar SunShot program will develop the hub at the site of the closed Liddell Coal Power Station near Muswellbrook.

The PM said the program would see more jobs at the site than there previously were under the coal mining operations.

“More jobs, more security, better pay, stronger local economy stronger regional economic development.”

“Positioning ourselves to be a renewable energy super power for the world, is my government’s vision.”

Albanese, surrounded by members of his cabinet, said it was time to seize the opportunity for even more jobs which are secure and high paid.

Australia has the highest uptake of residential solar panels, with one in three Australian households having solar panels. However, only one percent of solar panels are manufactured in Australia.

This is the largest announcement of its type in Australia’s history.

Photo: Paneles Solares by Grupo SolTsoi is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons Licence. This image has not been modified.