Minister Hunt announced a commonwealth contribution of $450,000 to Dyesol to continue their solar technology research in Queanbeyan.

The grant is part of the federal government’s billion dollar Clean Energy Innovation Fund expected to commence in July this year.

The Queanbeyan East solar company have developed a thin-film, solar technology that can be paired with sheets of glass and metal to generate electricity.

The technology has implications for building construction in the future and where solar power can be generated on buildings.

Minister Hunt lauded Dyesol as one of the world’s leading innovators in third generation solar technology.

“They’re creating the solar of the future and it’s happening here in Queanbeyan,” he said.

Dyesol employs over 50 people from 19 different countries, many of whom are integrated members of the Queanbeyan community.

Managing Director of Dyesol Richard Caldwell said after developing this technology for the last 20 years, the company wants to take things further.

“It’s our ambition, on a very rapid commercialisation schedule, to scale up and commercialise this technology here in Australia,” Mr Caldwell said.

“We look forward to being able to do that, and launch this technology onto the world stage from here in Queanbeyan in Australia,” he said.

Mr Hunt also visited Braidwood to announce a new Green Army project in Pambula Wetlands along the south coast region of Eden-Monaro electorate.

In Eden-Monaro, 18 Green Army projects are being rolled-out – and 14 projects are completed or underway across the electorate.

The Pambula Wetlands project aims to rejuvenate the area and protect local threatened species.

Green Army projects aim to give Australians aged 17-24 years training and experience for future jobs and improve the environment.