EcoGeneration

March/April 2012

Leaders plan for change at climate convention

Tim Hall from Change&Switch reports on the activities and outcomes of the 2011 United Nations climate change convention in Durban, where the co-located World Climate Summit proved itself as the arena for business and industry leaders to plan clean technology solutions.

The wind is greener at Woodlawn

The Woodlawn Wind Farm in New South Wales, developed and owned by Infigen Energy, recently reached full completion with the official commissioning of the project in late 2011.

Up close with Peter Reid – Exploration Manager, Petratherm

Peter Reid is a geologist and the founder of geothermal energy company Petratherm. In 2003, in close conjunction with researchers from the University of Adelaide, Peter began investigating Australia’s engineered geothermal energy potential. The result of this work led to the establishment of Petratherm. Peter is also the current Chairman of the Australian Geothermal Code Committee (AGCC). He recently received the Chairman’s Award at the 2011 Australian Geothermal Energy Conference for his services to the geothermal industry.

Neopower solar hot water systems – high efficiency means saving more

Neopower’s high-efficiency solar hot water systems will help to cut heating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Valentin Software now Develops PV*SOL® with renewable energy from naturstrom

Berlin-based green energy retailer naturstrom now delivers Valentin Software with renewable energy, as the software company specialising in simulation programs for photovoltaic, solar thermal and geothermal systems, recently changed to the independent renewable energy supplier.

Waste-to-Energy research in Indianapolis

At the Lugar Center for Renewable Energy, Dr Tom Iseley directs a team committed to developing integrated solutions for two major global challenges: waste and energy.

History and outlook on renewable energy policy in the US

by Michael T. Eckhart, Managing Director and Global Head of Environmental Finance, Citigroup

The United States of America is a big and complex country. In that context, public policies for renewable energy exist at the Federal, state and local levels. They include regulatory mandates, tax incentives, cash subsidies, financing guarantees, and research funding; and apply methods differently to each of a spectrum of technologies including wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, biomass and other forms of renewable, clean and new energy technologies such as energy efficiency, smart grid, demand response, and advanced vehicles – to name some of the most significant ones.

A new season for Snowy Hydro

EcoGeneration takes a look at the latest updates from the modernisation of Australia’s Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, one of the oldest and most complex integrated water and hydroelectric power schemes in the world.

Redeveloping a mini-hydro power project

Hydro power has a long history in Australia, and the next chapter involves renewing and improving existing water energy generation schemes such as Tasmania’s Lake Margaret Power Project.

Using bioenergy to green the desert

by Gabriel Haros, PundaZoie Company

An abundance of saline water and huge tracts of degraded and marginal land present Australia with the opportunity to grow saline-tolerant crops for bioenergy, as is the case in a trial program by PundaZoie Company and the University of Tasmania.

SEA welcomes new Board Chair

Late 2011 saw the Sustainable Energy Association greet a new Chair of the Board, Greg Denton. EcoGeneration speaks with Mr Denton about his goals for the Association in 2012 and beyond.

Vestas CEO sees Australia’s wind potential

At the State of Green event held in Melbourne in late 2011, EcoGeneration’s Lucy Rochlin interviewed Ditlev Engel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vestas Wind Systems.

Unique clean energy marketing ideas: publishing a customised book

Jacinta Hannaford, Manager, Clean Energy Marketing Solutions, Great Southern Press

Books and ebooks are unique marketing tools that allow companies to cut through marketing clutter and stand out in the clean energy industry.

Time to get moving: delivering the Renewable Energy Target

Ken McAlpine, Director of Policy and Government Relations for Asia-Pacific, Vestas Wind Systems

Now that 2012 has begun, it is a good time to take stock of what needs to happen in order for Australia to reach its 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target by the year 2020.

Solar power in public spaces

Solar energy is increasingly the technology of choice for large community developments in New South Wales, such as the Charlestown Square Shopping Centre and a host of community centres in the Willoughby and Dubbo local council areas.

Taking a picture to make solar last longer

Isabella Andres

A new technology that conducts high-speed internal inspections of silicon wafers and solar cells is set to transform the solar manufacturing process. Professor Thorsten Trupke from the University of New South Wales, who co-developed the inspection technology with Dr Robert Bardos, spoke with EcoGeneration about how it works, and how it is being commercialised through the company BT Imaging, with the assistance of an Australian Solar Institute grant.

Head-to-head with Klaus Kramler: General Manager of Fronius Australia

EcoGeneration’s Melanie Ryan asks new General Manager of Fronius Australia, Klaus Kramler, about the challenges and opportunities ahead for the Australian solar industry and its role in the international solar market.

Innovation in local large-scale solar

Construction recently started on two of Australia’s most innovative large-scale solar projects: CS Energy’s Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project and Solar System’s Mildura Project.

SMA rolls out the red carpet for anniversary

In February this year, EcoGeneration was at The Mint in Sydney to help the SMA Australia team celebrate the company’s 30th birthday.

Wind in the pub

Throughout the year, at various locations across Sydney and Melbourne, members of the wind industry are getting together to network and chat about the industry in an informal, relaxed setting.

Will you be attending the next EcoGen Master Class?

EcoGeneration will present a series of half-day master classes throughout April, May and June, designed specifically for the needs of the clean energy industry.

Study sprouts strategic directions for biofuels industry

The Advanced Biofuels Study commissioned by the Federal Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism explains that, although the attractions of advanced biofuels are high, the sector faces a range of challenges.

Bluetongue Brewery fuels a bioenergy bonanza

Bluetongue Brewery’s wastewater treatment facility not only produces purified water, but also generates bioenergy, the use of which has cut the brewery’s overall energy needs by 15 per cent.

Biochar enters the marketplace

Dr Adriana Downie, Chief Technology Officer, Pacific Pyrolysis Pty Ltd

After years of research and development, the coproduction of biochar and bioenergy in a modern slow-pyrolysis facility, is coming closer to commercial reality in Australia.

Victorian ocean energy project wins state funding

Ocean wave energy developer BioPower Systems has received new funding from the Victorian Government to launch a demonstration of its patented bioWAVE technology. EcoGeneration speaks with BioPower Systems Chief Executive Dr Timothy Finnigan to find out more about the technology and its deployment.