GoodWe’s unique Roadshow vehicle

GOODWE TAKES TO THE ROADS Prominent inverter and energy storage systems manufacturer GoodWe Australia has invested $250,000 on a roadshow vehicle that doubles as a mobile sales showroom and training facility.

One side of the custom-designed Ford Transit opens out into a walk-on showroom and training facility powered by GoodWe inverter and battery products, showcasing a safe demonstration of how energy storage products keep essential loads powered up in the event of a power outage.

The first of its kind vehicle for the solar industry in Australia and New Zealand will be showcased throughout 2022, including Smart Energy Council solar installer roadshow events* and the popular Home Show consumer events in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

GoodWe Australia also plans to use the vehicle as an education tool for schools to promote renewable energy technology in the bid to reach Net Zero by 2050.

The vehicle was unveiled by Dean Williamson, Country Manager for GoodWe Australia, during an atmospheric function in the company’s premises east of Melbourne.

After commenting on the challenges of recent years and prohibition of gatherings, Dean noted the thirst among the solar industry and the general public to resume face-to-face events in a safe manner.

“We wanted something innovative that both the industry and consumers could enjoy, learn and benefit from, in the form of a roadshow vehicle that we can take around the country, he said.

“We are really proud of the end result and the attention to detail in all aspects of the design and delivery which maximises our capabilities in showcasing our smart energy technologies.”

In 2020 Wood Mackenzie ranked GoodWe storage inverters No. 1 globally, with > 15% market share. IHS Markit ranked GoodWe one of the world’s Top 10 inverter suppliers.

John Grimes of the Smart Energy Council was special guest at the unveiling. He congratulated GoodWe on the vehicle, stating “This is a commitment to the Australian market, this is innovation at work.

“The idea to use this vehicle to educate, not just installers, but school children and people across the country is absolutely fantastic.

“People know that this is a brand that people can depend on and if you pick up the telephone you will have a technical expert solve your problem locally. Good work, GoodWe!”

*View the calendar of roadshow events at www.goodwe.com.au

And the winner is… TRINA SOLAR recently picked up the ‘Oscar of Design’ Red Dot Product Design Award for its Vertex S ultra-high performance rooftop module.

The Vertex S modules were selected from nearly 10,000 entries from more than 60 countries.

The sleek looking Vertex S module is designed for residential rooftops with aesthetics in mind and comes with several design options, including the all-black appearance with its black cells, ultra-fine busbars, together with a black frame and back-sheet.

Recently, Trina Solar announced that its Vertex series, which uses 210mm diameter wafers, has been upgraded with a power increase of up to 30W per module, and a module conversion efficiency of up to 21.5 per cent.

Trina Solar joins the likes of Apple, Audi and Porsche who are past winners of the Red Dot Design Awards announced in Germany. www.trinasolar.com

VAST SOLAR’S WORLD-LEADING SOLAR THERMAL PROJECT

In late April Vast Solar received up to $110 million in concessional finance to support the development of a 20MW CSP project in South Australia.

The innovative modular tower solar array combines molten salt towers and parabolic trough systems to deliver low cost dispatchable, renewable energy for hot, dry climates. Industry followers will recall Vast Solar’s modular tower CSP Pilot Plant in Jemalong, New South Wales where the technology was trialled and proven.

The Port Augusta plant will generate clean, low-cost, reliable power, and catalyse an export-focussed renewables manufacturing industry creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.

The world-leading facility will produce dispatchable renewable electricity “available on demand for eight hours of more” which is a goal of the Australian Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap.

In a company statement Vast Solar commented on the ideal location of Port Augusta for CSP due to its quality solar resource, strong electrical grid and sizeable and growing local demand complemented by enduring support for all renewables including CSP from the local community.

Craig Wood, CEO of Vast Solar, said “This project is great news for South Australia and for the country’s transition to net zero… it will become a global benchmark for long duration clean energy storage.

“Concentrated solar thermal technology is the missing piece of the energy puzzle as Australia transitions to net zero as it complements wind and solar by generating low-cost, clean electricity for 12+ hours when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.

“The project will be the catalyst for a concentrated solar thermal technology export industry that brings jobs and billions of dollars in export revenue, and helps Australia become a clean energy superpower.”

The International Energy Agency forecasts global CSP will increase ten-fold to 73GW by 2030.

www.vastsolar.com

Vast Solar’s CSP uses turbines similar to those found in coal and gas power plants. The project will provide opportunities for skilled local workers displaced by the closure of fossil-fired power plants

FRONIUS has achieved top rankings for the third time in a row at the annual Energy Storage Inspection by the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW). First place went to the Fronius Primo GEN24 6.0 Plus in the 5kWp reference case, while the Fronius Symo GEN24 10.0 Plus came in second in the 10kWp reference case.

The Energy Storage Inspection conducted by HTW Berlin is an industrywide study carried out annually by independent institutes to compare household PV storage systems. This year, 19 energy storage systems from 14 manufacturers were assessed, with Fronius pipping the post.

“We bring sunshine into the lives of our customers and we were able to demonstrate this once again in the Energy Storage Inspection,” said Martin Hackl (pictured), Global Director of the Business Unit Solar Energy, Fronius International GmbH.

www.fronius.com