The Bugle 11 March 2017
A fortnightly celebration of people and places on the Upper South Coast of NSW
Serving the communities of Kiama, Gerringong, Jamberoo, Kiama Downs, Minnamurra and Gerroa and now at www.thebugleonline.com
Homegrown solution to a dirty solar problem Kiama inventor and clean energy advocate, Edwin Humphries (right), is looking to make Kiama home to a manufacturing facility for his automated solar panel cleaning system. He and his business partner Andrew Petersen have launched a crowd-sourcing fundraising campaign to raise the $60,000 they need to get the project off the ground. “Once we get the right backing, we are ready to start manufacturing,” says Andrew. “We have all the suppliers and manufacturers identified, together with local assemblers, and it’s all costed. We even have a site for the workshop. So, everything is ready to press the button, once the capital is there.” They are hoping the local community, that has taken so strongly to installing solar energy panels, will rally to support this clean energy project and the opportunity to develop a new local industry. “SolarClear is a unique, fully automatic cleaning system, designed to maximise the output of solar panels under Australian conditions,” says Edwin. “It is safe, waterefficient and affordable.” They say that while there are 1.6 million solar installations across Australia, the bad news is many of them are operating at less than their full capacity – simply because they are dirty. This is particularly a problem in areas without regular rain to clean them naturally. In Kiama, salt build-up during periods without rain is the main problem. “The dirt that cuts the output of solar panels builds up from day one: international studies have shown that within five weeks they can be working 30% less efficiently, rising to 50% – and staying around that level until cleaned. Heavy rain does clean them, but within a week, up to 7% of capacity will be lost, with the cycle starting again,” says Andrew. He says not all the usual cleaning methods are advisable, with manual cleaning often hazardous. Cleaning panels with brushes can damage the panels and other methods such as water-blasting can penetrate electrical connectors. “SolarClear offers an effective way of keeping solar panels operating at peak capacity, using a set and forget cleaning system.” Edwin, who has run Ironstone Technology in Kiama for a number of years but is an industrial chemist by training, came up with the idea when working on a scientific design project with the University of Wollongong, and has perfected it over a number of years. Continued page 6
Inside this issue Kiama Actors off to LA p3
Red Cross Calling p3
Kiama included in Queen’s Baton Relay The Queen’s Baton Relay is to pass through Kiama on Monday 5 February 2018, as part of its 230,000 kilometre journey around the Commonwealth to the Games on the Gold Coast in April. The Queen’s Baton Relay begins at Buckingham Palace on 13 March, arriving in Australia on Christmas Day after touring the Commonwealth. It will journey throughout Australia before arriving at the Gold Coast for the Games’ Opening Ceremony on 4 April. The streamline 2018
Baton has a Macadamia wood and stainless steel frame, with an app used to control different settings for the LED colour illumination of its hollowed out core. GPS technology on board
will allow the Baton to be tracked online as it travels around the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth. “The Queen’s Baton Relay is great opportunity to show off all the iconic beauty of our town to a worldwide audience,” says Mayor Mark Honey. “I’m also pleased that our community can nominate someone local to be one of the baton bearers.” Details: Nominations can be at www.gc2018.com/qbr until 15 May.
A day at the Races p4
Disabled Surfers Hands On Day p9