Award winners provide a shining example of solar industry innovation

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday 4 October 2016

The Clean Energy Council has congratulated the winners of the 2016 Solar Design and Installation Awards, which were announced tonight at the ATRAA Dinner as part of the All-Energy Exhibition and Conference.

Clean Energy Council Accreditation Manager Sandy Atkins said the winners were selected from a highly competitive group of finalists by an independent panel of solar industry experts.

“The solar industry is filled with incredibly skilled and passionate professionals, and it is an honour to recognise the best of the best in this year’s awards,” Mr Atkins said.

“From a small installation in Arnhem Land and a high-rise installation in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct to a major system with battery back-up at a Christian college in Bundaberg, this year’s awards show the versatility of individual installers in meeting daily challenges.

“Congratulations to our very deserving winners, and thank you to everyone who took the time to submit an entry to the 2016 Clean Energy Council Solar Design and Installation Awards.”

Winners were named this evening across four categories: Grid-Connect 15 kW – 100 kW, Grid-Connect over 100 kW, Stand-Alone Power and Battery Back-Up.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Stand-alone Power • Marcus Edwards for a 2.5 kW installation for a remote community in North East Arnhem Land, working for Ed’s Marine Electrical. The installation was notable for putting responsibility, freedom and control in the hands of the tenant, as well as being a tool to teach power management in the region. Grid-Connect 15 kW – 100 kW • Graeme McMullen for a 99.9 kW installation at the 18-storey commercial building Collins Square at Docklands, working for Energy Action. This project provided a significant boost for solar in the commercial multi-storey building environment for government departments. Grid-Connect over 100 kW • Dimitar Iliev and Jeff Hoare, working for GEM Energy, for a 517 kW system at Dobson Spring and Suspension that addressed a highly-fluctuating load. The furnace-like conditions required cooling solutions for the inverter room and panels. The system was future-proofed so that storage can be added later. Battery Back-Up • Dimitar Iliev and Kurt Elvery, for a 194 kW solar system with 252 kWh of storage at the Bundaberg Christian College, working for GEM Energy. The installation used a custom master controller on site, to ensure smooth charging and discharging while meeting local network requirements. All-Energy Australia is being held in partnership with the Clean Energy Council and runs from 4-5 October in Melbourne. Entry to the main conference and exhibition is free.

Please contact Clean Energy Council Media Manager Mark Bretherton on 0413 556 981 for more information or to arrange an interview.