EcoGeneration

September/October 2011

EcoGen 2011 has arrived!

From 5–7 September this year, the most important figures in the clean energy will gather at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre for EcoGen 2011.

A warm welcome to Trina Solar

EcoGen 2011 is pleased to announce that Trina Solar, a world leader in the manufacture of photovoltaic modules, is a Gold Sponsor of Australia’s premier clean energy conference.

A welcome introduction to Power-One

EcoGen 2011 is excited to welcome Gold Sponsor, Power-One, the world’s second largest provider of solar inverters, to Australia’s leading clean energy Conference and Exhibition.

Connecting at a clean energy event

by Melanie Ryan

Networking is integral to making the most of a conference, seminar or exhibition for the clean energy industry. Combining online and real-world interaction is the key to elevating new business relationships and cementing industry contacts.

Industry expertise at EcoGen 2011

Key representatives of Australia’s clean energy industry will address delegates at the EcoGen 2011 Conference in Brisbane. EcoGeneration profiles some of the Conference’s not-to-bemissed presentations, and the presenters who will deliver them.

Changing solar economics

by Warwick Johnston, Manager, SunWiz Consulting

In the past two years, Australia has witnessed a remarkable solar power price transformation. Driven by a combination of factors including international pricing trends, the favourable exchange rate and the increased deployment of government programs (whose significance should not be understated), solar system prices have halved in this time.

Clean energy funding across states and territories

EcoGeneration takes a look at state government funding allocations for clean energy-related programs and initiatives during the 2011-12 financial year.

Solar Flagships: stamping Australian solar on the international stage

In June 2011, the successful projects from the Federal Government’s $1.5 billion Solar Flagships Program were announced. EcoGeneration takes a closer look at the projects that secured funding from this highly competitive program.

Paying the price: improving Australia’s energy network

by Melanie Ryan

The Australian Energy Regulator has vowed to improve the guidelines that determine how Australian energy network prices are set, and how electricity providers receive revenue.

Renewable energy and cost curves

by Patrick Hearps and Dylan McConnell, Zero Carbon Australia Research Fellows, Melbourne Energy Institute

Co-authors of the Melbourne Energy Institute’s Renewable Energy Technology Cost Review, prepared for the Garnaut Review update, outline the investment trends in Australia’s clean energy industry.

Managing Queensland’s energy future

The Queensland Government has released a long-term strategic plan for the state’s overall energy management. EcoGeneration asks the key organisations involved in implementing this plan to outline its goals, anticipated achievements and its expected level of engagement with Australia’s clean energy industry.

Wind farms and community health

by Melanie Ryan

A Federal Senate inquiry into the impact of wind farms in rural and regional areas has delivered its final report, recommending that more research should be undertaken into the potentially adverse noise and health effects of wind turbines on nearby residents.

Engaging the wind community

In response to recent unrest in some communities regarding new wind farm developments, the Clean Energy Council, in collaboration with the wind energy industry, has engaged a dedicated Community Engagement Manager to inform the wider public on the technology.

Paul Simshauser – directing a clean energy future

As Chief Economist and Group Head of Corporate Affairs at AGL, Professor Paul Simshauser plays a key role in the investment and economics behind renewable energy infrastructure across Australia.

Skilling up in wind

by Richard Harvey, Learning and Development Manager, Suzlon

With the forecast resurgence in the large-scale renewables market, the Australian wind industry is expecting to face a severe shortage of qualified wind turbine technicians in the next few years. In the meantime, Suzlon is working closely with accredited Australian training institutions to overcome this shortage.

A day in the life of a wind engineer

EcoGeneration interviews Daniel Astbury, a Senior Wind Engineer at GL Garrad Hassan, to find out more about his role and experience in the wind sector.

Storing up turbine power

Opportunities for large-scale wind energy storage in Australia’s electricity market. Major increases in Australia’s wind energy supply are unrealistic without integrated electricity storage, and new developments for storage will be crucial to the long-term future profitability of Australia’s wind industry, writes Dr Robert Dickinson, Director, Hydricity SA and Professor Graham (Gus) Nathan, Director, The University of Adelaide’s Centre for Energy Technology.

Tracking in the outback: Uterne Solar Power Plant

SunPower Corporation has recently completed construction of Australia’s largest tracking solar power plant, the 1-megawatt Uterne Solar Power Plant in Alice Springs.

BP Solar looks to a large-scale future

BP Solar recently announced that it will shift its strategic direction to focus on project development activities in the medium and large-scale solar segments, winding down its distributed sales division aimed at the residential sector. EcoGeneration spoke with Douglas Smith, BP Solar Sales and Marketing Manager – Australia and Asia, about this re-direction.

Solar batteries for storage

Alco Batteries Group Marketing and Business Development Manager Mark Ray talks with EcoGeneration about solar batteries, an efficient way to store the solar electric power generated from a solar array.

Solar inverters in the spotlight

EcoGeneration provides an overview of three solar inverters recently launched in Australia, from Power-One, Fronius and SMA.

Birkdale Renewable Energy Facility

Renewable electricity generation company LMS Generation has recently commissioned a landfill gas extraction system in Birkdale, Queensland. The system provides energy to approximately 1,200 local homes.

The Wood Energy Group

EcoGeneration speaks with Andrew Lang a member of The Wood Energy Group, a recently launched bioenergy advisory group, to discuss the potential for bioenergy in Australia.

A beacon in bioenergy

EcoGeneration’s Melanie Ryan talks to clean energy industry legend Clifford Jones about the latest developments in integrated renewable energy plants using biomass as a fuel source, as well as in the bioenergy sector at large.

Australian biofuel industry plays the waiting game

by Mike Cochran, Joint Chief Executive Officer, APAC Biofuel Consultants

Stakeholders in the Australian biofuels industry were looking forward to 2011 with much anticipation. It was to be the year that Queensland introduced an ethanol mandate policy, and that New South Wales was to raise its existing one. Neither took place.

Building biofuel standards

Standards Australia, the nation’s peak non-government standards body, has announced that it will co-resource Australia’s participation on an international committee for sustainability in the bioenergy sector.

Green machine: the biodiesel option for powering projects

A biodiesel generation system has been installed to power up a highway construction site in Woomargama, New South Wales, bringing the project’s contractors a step closer to reaching their carbon-neutral energy target.

Businesses urged to beware of unaudited media

Australian businesses are losing more than $29 million annually because of media scams by unaudited media, according to the Circulations Audit Board (CAB).

Bosch Hot Water name ‘Innovative Green Product of the Year’

Bosch Hot Water’s newest energy efficient gas hot water system – the Bosch 32C – has been named ‘Innovative Green Product of the Year’ at the 2011 ECO-Buy Awards.

Sun Connect: an enterprising Australian organisation

Sun Connect has been recognised among Australia’s most progressive organisations, winning the 2011 Australian Business Award – Enterprise Category.

Neopower: the cost-effective residential and commercial solar hot water system

Neopower’s range of high-performance commercial solar hot water solutions provide flexibility, reliability and the results needed to reduce water heating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Redesigning global logistics

Recently, Yusen Air and Sea Services and NYK Logistics International Division have merged to become Yusen Logistics, a global logistics company that specialises in the transport of solar equipment.

DEGERenergie reaches solar milestone

DEGERenergie is benefiting from increased worldwide interest in new and more efficient solar tracking technology, and has recently celebrated a new installation milestone.

SolarEdge proves high solar yield

A study recently conducted by Photon Laboratory found that SolarEdge PowerBoxes, designed to maximise the energy output from a solar module and maintain voltage, demonstrated an increase in energy performance in shaded and unshaded areas by up to 32 per cent when compared to six other power optimisers tested.

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