ATRAA 09 - preparing for the best of times in clean energy generation  

Over 30 years ago, the Appropriate Technology Retailers Association of Australia (ATRAA) started as a chat around the table among a handful of industry pioneers. Now in its 32nd year, the 2009 ATRAA Conference & Exhibition was a chance for industry players to learn from each other’s experiences and expertise, prepare for the future challenges of a rapidly expanding sector, and to look back and celebrate past achievements. This year saw a broadening of the conference scope, with wind, energy efficiency and Renewable Energy Certificate (RECs) trading exhibitors joining a well-established solar photovoltaic (PV) attendance.

Running over four days from 29 July to 1 August, the annual event hosted by the Clean Energy Council (CEC), was attended by installers, retailers, distributors, manufacturers, academics, trainers, consultants, and on the final day of the conference, members of the public. Held in Canberra at the National Convention Centre, it was fitting for ATRAA 09 to be set in the only state or territory to have a gross feed-in tariff scheme. Indeed, Canberra was referred to a number of times during the conference as the solar PV capital of Australia.

In his welcome address, CEC Chief Executive Matthew Warren said that the solar PV industry in Australia was experiencing both the best of times and the worst of times. He pointed to the huge growth in the industry, driven by new climate change policies around the world.

“Last month the United Nations reviewed global energy investment. It found for the first time, at least in modern history, that investment in clean energy technologies had passed investment in conventional energy. Around $200 billion of new clean energy generation was deployed around the world last year. If that is a cottage industry, then it’s an awfully big cottage,” said Mr Warren.

However, Mr Warren also highlighted that the clean energy industry in Australia was experiencing significant frustration and financial cost due to parliamentary inaction on passing critical legislation, and that the CEC had no higher priority than lobbying for the passage of the RET bill and its Solar Credits scheme as quickly as possible. Mr Warren invited delegates to visit the CEC stand during the conference to communicate the impacts government policy is having on their businesses. For detailed coverage of issues surrounding the RET bill, turn to page 66.

Shared expertise and knowledge

In addition to the visionary address by Tim Flannery, the conference included a range of informative and engaging speakers. Greenbank Environmental CEO Fiona O’Hehir shed some much needed light on the current state of the Renewable Energy Certificates market. Susan Neil from Global Sustainable Energy Solutions and Simon Franklin from IT Power presented findings from a project commissioned by the CEC on the future of the renewable energy workforce. Mike Russell also updated delegates on BCSE accreditation, reporting that there are now 1,200 accredited installers, as compared to 250 just two years ago.

Conference delegates started Day Two of ATRAA with a message from the Minister for Climate Change and Water Penny Wong. Minister Wong said that she was encouraged by the high level of attendance at ATRAA and that she understood the great importance to the industry of the passing of the RET legislation.

The second day of the conference also featured CEC Manager of Policy Rob Jackson’s Australian policy update, including an overview of the steps being taken by the CEC to advocate for the passage of the RET legislations. Importantly, Mr Jackson highlighted that the CEC would be appearing before the Senate Committee the week following ATRAA.

Andrea Gaffney from BP Solar and the CEC PV Directorate gave an overview of global trends and Australian developments in the PV solar market. Ms Gaffney said that while the RET would be a transitional mechanism, the crucial policy issue is the implementation of a gross national feed-in tariff.

Dr Muriel Watt from IT Power spoke about grid price parity and smart grids, saying that the latter will require a very serious change in the way we think about electricity. Eva Oberender and Maaike Gobel from the CEC presented the successes of the recent Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) projects in the Pacific, and longtime industry leader and Selectronic Sales and Marketing Manager Lyndsay Hart concluded the day before delegates prepared for the Conergy Dinner at Rydges on the Lake.

Social scene

While the RISE PD Day drinks and the Welcome Cocktail Party held in the exhibition hall gave delegates a chance to relax and catch up with old friends and colleagues in a casual setting, the social highlight of the conference was the ATRAA Formal Dinner, sponsored by Conergy. Food and wine was shared by all, and the ATRAA 09 Industry Awards were presented (see page 30 for the full list of award winners and judges’ comments).

ATRAA Business

One of the most important elements of the conference is the open discussion and debate that occurs during the ATRAA Business sessions, still vibrant despite the growing numbers attending the conference.

Animated ATRAA Business discussion on Day One of the conference included the nine month limitation on installations under the Solar Homes and Communities Plan, and how the industry could deal with the closure of the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP). It was concluded that delegates with suggestions should speak with Rod Menzies in order to compile a submission to the CEC. As a consequence of these concerns, ATRAA 09 committee members and the CEC Y met with representatives of the Federal Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts to discuss support for remote renewable power generation on the last day of the conference. Issues surrounding auditing, accreditation and the changing of installers on rebate applications were also discussed.

On Day Two of the conference, the Panel Think Tank discussion and ATRAA Business were combined, with discussion focusing on the need for increased training to skill the clean energy workforce, the use of the media to communicate the plight of the industry to a wider audience and gain public backing, and other solutions to ensure the sustained growth of the industry.

ATRAA 2010 in Alice

As the ATRAA 09 conference wrapped up, the last item on the agenda was the location of ATRAA 2010. While Perth and the Gold Coast were contenders, a show of hands showed majority support for the Alice Springs location, home of the Desert Knowledge Precinct, which demonstrates and compares a range of solar technologies in commercial scale installations. It was agreed that key decision makers, government representatives and industry players alike would benefit from seeing full scale solar installations in action, in an environment specifically designed to showcase the technology.