Solar Progress June 2015

ISSN: 0729-6436

Surprises in Storage All eyes and attention on the game-changer

Solar 2015 Show of Faith

CST and Large-scale Solar Watch this space ‌

PV Performance CSIRO Test Lab

06/15

Issue 2

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOLAR COUNCIL

Contents Australian Solar Council Welcome from CEO and Industry Guest

2

Solar Council advocacy

32

Solar Council Programs

44

Solar Council Corporate Members

46

Save Solar Heroes 2015 – a tribute

48

Show of Faith: SOLAR 2015 Innovation, Advances, Optimism

8

Notable quotes

40

Exhibitors and sponsors

41

Solar Science PV Cell Test Lab: CSIRO takes the lead

34

Special features CEFC’s vital work

14

Vast plans: CST gains traction

16

Taiwan’s solar energy industry

36

Installers’ views from the rooftops

38

Sunvertec’s mini distributor inverter

42

Energy Storage Council developments

20

Storage news and newcomers

22

Front cover: Figuring out the potential of solar and storage.

Image: Glen Morris

8 16

20

Storage on Show: ESC Conference highlights 24 Batteries: your questions answered

29

Installers’ storage systems

30

Market dynamics News and views

34

4

Saving Solar, setting goals

12

Solar’s POWERful numbers

18

Products and services: CO2 and ASM

45

38

SOLAR PROGRESS is published by the Australian Solar Council.

SOLAR PROGRESS

Solar Progress advertising, subscription and membership enquiries contact: Joanna Joustra Business Development Manager Phone: 0402 938 401 joanna@solar.org.au

Nicola Card

Storage Progress advertising and membership enquiries contact: Lorrae Ingham Phone: 0411 407 514 lorrae@energystorage.org.au

EDITOR: editor@solar.org.au nicola@solar.org.au AUSTRALIAN SOLAR COUNCIL CEO John Grimes PO Box 231 Mawson ACT 2607 admin@solar.org.au Phone: 1300 768 204 www.solar.org.au ABN 32 006 824 148

CONTRIBUTORS: CEFC, Chris Fell, John Grimes, Glen Morris, Nigel Morris and Penny Parle DESIGN & PRODUCTION Mitzi Mann

Solar Progress was first published in 1980.

The magazine aims to provide readers with an in-depth review of technologies, policies and progress towards a society which sources energy from the sun rather than fossil fuels.

Except where specifically stated, the opinions and material published in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Australian Solar Council. Although every effort is made to check the authenticity and accuracy of articles, neither the Solar Council nor the editors are responsible for any inaccuracy.

Solar Progress is published quarterly. www.solar.org.au

John Grimes Chief Executive, Australian Solar Council IN CHINA RECENTLY I watched the battery packs for BMW’s all electric vehicle come off the end of the production line at a rate of one every four minutes.

Later I watched four electric buses having their battery packs changed by automated robots, in around five minutes flat. Less time than it would take to fill conventional diesel fuel tanks.

With subsidies paid for every electric vehicle manufactured in China, this is a booming sector for the battery market globally.

It occurred to me that there is likely to be a convergence between highend, expensive all electric vehicles and the millions of electric powered two and four wheelers now ubiquitous in China and India. It occurred to me that a quality, competitively priced all electric vehicle is closer than many people might think.

China is also focusing heavily on micro-grids and on-grid energy storage solutions. In the area of domestic behind the meter storage, the big story is the changing economics made possible by increasing battery lifetimes.

New chemistry means some batteries now last for 10,000 or even 20,000 cycles. When you have a battery that lasts for 20 years, the levelised cost of energy falls dramatically.

Everybody I spoke to believes that the price of lithium ion storage will more than halve over the next five years, and could drop as much as two thirds. Coupled with smart energy management systems, storage plus distributed solar PV have a very big future, as customers look to consume the energy they create in the most efficient way possible.

But this future is not inevitable. It will require political leadership and serious changes in the way our electricity sector operates.

However, the benefits, if we get this right, are significant for consumers, the industry and the planet.

Guest Editorial ‘Groundhog day’ IT’S STARTING TO FEEL like groundhog day in solar.

When the industry kicked off every single system included energy storage and a few decades on, we have arrived back where we started.

Rooftop grid connected solar continues its growth in Australia because it makes sense for energy consumers; it’s as simple as that. Although solar is materially eroding the foundation of the existing energy industry and the challenges just seem to keep coming, they are increasingly being forced to innovate, compete or stand aside.

Our industry is in a challenging place. Sales are down this year, consumer confidence has been Nigel Morris damaged by the RET review that should never have happened and tens of billions of dollars’ worth of investment was lost in large scale solar.

Like many others however, I remain eternally optimistic that our industry is about to see a huge surge of new investments and fresh consumer confidence because three key things will happen in the next twelve months.

Firstly, the RET issue will finally be resolved. “We’ll be back” with a crystal clear vengeance. Based on history and even despite the challenges I’m sure our dynamic industry will make sure consumers understand that the uncertainty is gone.

Secondly, there is a federal election looming on the horizon. The barnacles must be shed and the millions of Australians living with solar will

2 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

undoubtedly ensure their voices continue to be heard.

I expect either a fresh attitude from Government or an election disaster.

And lastly there is the imminent growth of gridsupported storage, our groundhog day.

A huge array of storage products has arrived in Australia and in some markets it stacks up already. We know how many early adopters paid the same money for solar only a few years ago and that pent up demand will drive a rapid ramp up in sales.

We’ll face new challenges and unexpected barriers and have plenty of work to do. But here’s a fact: new technology in our industry inevitably gets cheaper sooner than expected and industry growth always exceeds expectations. In the case of storage, incentives would be nice but we can almost make it work without them and that means one thing; we won’t be reliant on or subject to the whims of policy.

Nigel Morris of SolarBusinessServices who has been involved in the solar energy industry for more than two decades is in demand as a consultant, researcher, industry advisor, conference speaker and coach. An electric bike devotee, Nigel formed Moto-Electro.

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Local and global news Solar power: see what counts In the mid-June Lowy Institute Poll half of those surveyed said ‘global warming is a serious and pressing problem’, and 43% of survey respondents expect solar energy to be the ‘primary source of electricity 10 years from now’. Solar energy was by far the highestranked of seven options.

Meanwhile an Ipsos survey revealed solar energy is the most popular source of electricity in Australia: 78% of Australians supported large-scale solar energy projects which they see playing an important role in Australia’s future, and 60% agree that funding for large-scale solar facilities should be prioritised over funding for non-renewable Support for wind farms and hydro came in at 72%, coal just 23% and nuclear energy 26%.

Commissioned by ARENA the Ipsos survey of

1200 found that 87% supported solar panels on rooftops.

An Essential Media Poll survey asked: Do you think Australia should put more emphasis, less emphasis or about the same emphasis on producing domestic energy from the following sources…? 70% wanted more emphasis on solar power, 60% wanted more wind and 46% more hydro. As many as 53% said less emphasis should be placed on coal.

Q2: Which energy source – renewable energy like solar and wind OR fossil fuels like coal and gas – is better for each of the following? The response: 77% said renewables were better for the environment, 39% said renewables were better for the economy and 36% better for jobs. By contrast just 5% thought fossil fuels were better for the environment.

Did you know?

A $2000 I kW rooftop PV system could generate enough energy to drive an electric vehicle 10,000 kilometres a year at a cost of just one cent per kilometre.

New electricity power stations 2015, cost of delivery Wind 7-12 cents kWh PV 9-14 cents kWh Gas and coal 7-12 cents kWh

$

(Material presented by Professor Andrew Blakers of ANU during Solar 2015)

PV anti-dumping WA backs down decision The Australian Anti-dumping Commission conducted a lengthy investigation into claims of alleged dumping of crystalline silicon solar PV panels from China into the Australian market.

It concluded in May that although PV modules or panels exported from China from July 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013 (the investigation period) were exported at ‘dumped’ prices, the subsequent injury to Australian industry was negligible.

The Solar Council welcomed the outcome, with Chief Executive John Grimes calling it “a win for Australian solar PV consumers and a win for common sense”.

4 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

West Australian Treasurer Mike Nahan allegedly planned “unfair attacks” on homeowners in the May state Budget through higher fixed network charges for all households in WA, and speculation was rife solar households would be forced onto even higher fixed tariffs.

The man did not bargain for the backlash from several thousand solar owners and devotees who signed the Solar Citizens petition and emailed and phoned MPs. Result – a back down and yet another win (or damage averted) for solar.

Solar Citizen campaigners declared: “Solar owners are organised, and we won’t be unfairly targeted.” They now stand in line with the Solar Council‘s call for at least 50% solar and renewable electricity generation by 2030.

On the world stage

Early June marked the inauguration of IRENA’s new headquarters in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. A symbol of the “world’s turn towards renewables” the building’s solar water heaters supply 75% of demand and the 1000 m2 PV rooftop system (pictured) will produce 305,000 kWh of electricity annually.

The International Renewable Energy Agency – the nerve centre for global renewable energy action – recently predicted the global market for battery storage will grow from $US220 million in 2014 to $US18 billion by 2023. The agency also declared renewable energy had “reached an age of maturity” whereby costs plummet, investment climbs, and world leaders (well most of them) recognise the necessity of scaling up deployment.

Free rider Timing of IRENA’s announcement coincided with the declaration of Australia’s status as a climate change ‘free-rider’ delivered by the Africa Progress Panel’s 2015 report, cognisant of the “refusal to take credible action” to curb greenhouse gas emissions or tackle climate change, instead producing the world’s highest per capita emissions. [Australia’s emissions rose 1.6% in the nine months from June 2014 when the carbon price was ditched.]

The panel said the logic of Australia’s support for fossil fuels was “difficult to unravel”. Climate change representatives echoed sentiments but in stronger terms.

Moral imperative The Vatican is also becoming more vocal.

Scientists, politicians and businessmen recently met with religious leaders at the Vatican and concurred that tackling climate change was a “moral and religious imperative for humanity”.

Academic bodies under the Pope’s auspices who are combining scientific and spiritual values signed a declaration-meets-vision sustainability document: the adoption of low-carbon energy systems and a shift away from investment in the military and towards sustainable development.

Word from the Holy See is that the Vatican will be ramping up its influence in the lead up to December’s “last chance” climate conference in Paris.

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Local and global news Exporting Aussie solar know-how

• CSIRO scientists have designed and

over the intensity of the solar concentration.

installed a solar field harnessing the sun’s

CSIRO and local workers took just five weeks

energy through solar thermal technology

to construct the 50 heliostats in the solar

in Cyprus, where electricity is currently

thermal field on the half-acre plot in Cyprus

generated from oil.

(pictured).

CSIRO solar research leader Wes Stein

• Glimmer of light in Nepal When the earthquake wreaked havoc in Nepal the focus turned to providing basic comforts for those left homeless. Queensland company Doble Outdoors supplied their innovative telescopic stainless steel tent pole which features a solar panel, built-in LEDs and batteries. The compact renewable power system also comes in handy for recharging phones.

The experimental facility will initially be

explained the high-performance heliostats

used for demonstration purposes by the

have a unique design that is well suited to

Cyprus Institute, with a view to longer-

the rugged coastal terrain and can operate

term commercial use of the technology in

very efficiently, and enable more control

Mediterranean islands and the Middle East.

Solar for NFP sector Solar donors from across Australia have funded five community solar projects for non-profit community organisations through the Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia:

• Solar and social enterprise in India Australian based Pollinate Energy has established a successful social enterprise model in India to supply loans for compact solar powered torches, desk lamp, room light and hanging lights to replace kerosene lamps which are a sure-fire recipe for ill-health. The cost of the solar lights which last for five years amount to around five months’ supply of kerosene.

Currently 292 million people in India lack access to electricity.

www.corenafund.org.au CORENA funnels small donations from many people into interest-free solar loans to enable recipient organisations – among them schools, community and disability centres – to install rooftop solar systems, with the savings in power bills helping repay the loan. Repayments are then used to fund the next project.

Beechworth Montessori School (pictured) benefitted from a CORENA loan for their rooftop PV system.

The cost of projects funded by CORENA’s revolving funding scheme has reached $78,900.

Solar installers are invited to contact CORENA if they identify potential customers in the nonprofit sector who need help funding a solar installation and would otherwise be deterred by the capital cost.

High achiever Charles Darwin University Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research Professor Sharon Bell (left) presents student Monishka Rita Narayan with the Australian Solar Council’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Renewable Energy.

Monishka outranked all entrants from the Faculty of Engineering, Health, Science & the Environment to pick up the coveted award.

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Solar power to collect garbage Dutch “boy genius” Boyan Slat has devised a plan that taps into solar energy to help collect some of the increasingly dangerous levels of plastic waste in the ocean. The Ocean Cleanup Array consists of solar-powered spinning booms that act as a floating barrier and use the ocean’s currents to concentrate plastic. The two-year trial version will be two kilometres in length and deployed in waters off Japan during 2016.

If successful, a 100 kilometre array capable of capturing about half of the rubbish in ‘the Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ will be installed.

Please keep us up-to-date on your company developments: editor@solar.org.au

SHOW of Faith

By any measure Solar 2015 was a show of strength, of unity and of innovation. Delegates packed out each of the three large theatres to hear the latest in technical, storage and political developments and the Expo floor featured successful and innovative companies showcasing products and technology of today and tomorrow.

John Grimes of the Solar Council (left) with Andrew Blakers, Christine Milne, Ivor Frischknecht and Paul Scerri

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT that the mighty Melbourne Exhibition Centre would be stretched to the limits accommodating an industry conference?

Three massive halls were dedicated to the three streams that proved so popular there was standing room only for many delegates. Strong interest, strong numbers that indicate the presence of an industry that stands proud, we could say, and at the forefront of advances.

More so than ever before, a sense of quiet anticipation characterised the mood of the industry that is reshaping the energy market by bringing distributed energy to the masses. An industry that is driving, many asserted, an energy revolution.

All up Solar 2015 attracted more than 50 exhibitors and sponsors and 90 key speakers and 4500 delegates of which more than 900 were solar installers and designers, which helps explain the packed-out assembly during the two day Professional Development session hosted by Glen Morris of SolarQuip and Brian England of SEIA. Numbers were also testimony to the timely and relevant technical content presented by the top line up of speakers.

This year we welcomed an equally popular segment in the fast evolving world of energy storage, an industry on the springboard of a new and exciting frontier, with the rise of storage technology and applications accompanied by a rise in affordability. The intensive conference program orchestrated by the Energy Storage Council focused on fast paced storage advances, which are covered in the centre pages of this magazine.

Here we review some of the key insights delivered during the Policy and Industry sessions.

Standing ovation for a standout ally Clarity of vision and delivery is the hallmark of Greens Senator Christine Milne who never fails to enthrall audiences large or small.

Delegates flocked to her address at Solar 2015 where she was introduced as ‘Solar’s strongest ally and an activist of 30 years’.

Milne – who the previous week has announced her intention to quit politics – reassured the packed-out assembly that in “Escaping the parallel universe that is politics and rejoining the real world” her post-political

8 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

mission is to devote her full attention to addressing climate change in some capacity.

“To help stem the megatrend that is global warming … and in 2050 we will look back and see this as the megatrend. Global emissions have to peak or reduce by 2020 so we have just five years left to turn this around.

It deserves all the effort,” she said.

“Coal is on the way out. The World Bank and IEA say 80 per cent of remaining fossil fuels have to stay in the ground [but alarmingly] such warnings are totally ignored in Australia. It is not coal, but solar and distributed energy which are good for humanity and will lift the world out of energy poverty.”

The Senator listed a series of game-changing developments: Saudi Arabia’s ‘milestone’ deployment of large-scale solar providing energy at just 6 cents per kWh; India’s rapid deployment of distributed energy and its divestment program; Harvard’s R&D into storage of electrons in organic matter; and the stellar rise of battery technology.

“There is only one battery price and that is down, Tesla’s price is inspiring all around … all households will in future consider battery storage and at a later date electric vehicles,” she said.

“The year 2015 will be seen as the year of breakthroughs, of disruption,” and while the political mindset is depressing it does not reflect what is happening in the speed and popularity of solar and storage developments.

“The catalyst for radical change lies in transforming the National Energy Market. The business model is dead and we no longer need the [costly] infrastructure. That is what must be smashed, that is the challenge. Part of their role is to innovate and if they accepted greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced that could everything.

“The focus is on the RET but it’s the NEM that matters. We need to incentive grids to adopt change. An abandoned grid benefits no one. NEM must not just build stranded assets.”

Her parting words of advice: “Get on to the NEM campaign.

“We are living in a time of revolution. The Greens will remain strong and continue to battle for emissions reductions and clean energy.”

The Senator’s rousing address and impending departure from politics prompted a standing ovation and lengthy applause.

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Margaret Blakers of The Green Institute is on the same page.

Declaring “The energy sector was developed with investors [rather than consumers] in mind” she stated today’s important energy decisions are make through closed doors, without public comment.

“They fail to look after consumers, price gouging of the past five years is evidence,” said the co-founder of Victoria’s Greens. “AEMO is past its use by date and should be abolished.

“Electricity law should be an Act of Parliament, one that is subject to debate and enables people and Glen Morris, Vice President of the Australian Solar Council and Principal of SolarQuip addresses Solar 2015 the country to make decisions on before Brian England, Managing Director of Self Sufficiency Supplies takes to the podium energy matters with full regard to the environment and safety and the future.

Unwind the regulations and combine the AER and AEMO as a common Celsius (more) is the limit of the upper change before big [catastrophic] agency,” she urged, adding fossil fuels should be removed from the NEM. impacts. The agency is modelling carbon containment which it says can be achieved to deliver a near net zero carbon economy by mid-century Solar 2015 Visionaries through a four-step pathway, one example being heavy transport and aviation fuel switching to 50 per cent bio-fuels.

Fiona O’Hehir of Greenbank Environmental singled out Councils “Australia could move to zero carbon emissions and still maintain as another strategic target. “I’m a business person who manages risk,” economic growth, with solar playing a significant role,” she said. said the woman whose credentials include two decades in new energy Amanda McKenzie told delegates the messages delivered by the handling $17 million translating to 140,000 clean energy installs.

Climate Council had already reached 180 million people, with two million “Looking at Council obligations and their decision making processes … each week accessing accurate and important information on climate among other things they are responsible for risk management, care for the change and devastation wrought by heatwaves and drought, the two environment and mitigation, community safety and peace. The effects of ‘silent killers’. climate change; health and other impacts of greenhouse gasses need to be “We have lots of solutions with our natural resources of sun and wind taken into consideration along with benefits of renewable energy [and] a but also lots of problems – coal. But renewable energy is inevitable and simple fuel switch takes Councils from fossil fuels to renewables. They stand global investment is five times that of coal.” China is the “quiet achiever” at risk by not taking action.” and in strong contrast to Australia’s 35 per cent drop in large scale Over the decades Professor Andrew Blakers has not only led many investment and 13 per cent decline in renewable energy jobs. scientific breakthroughs but also been an active renewables advocate.

“Ironic given we have five hundred times the natural resources needed He maintains that by adding 1.9 GW of solar PV and 1.9 GW of to power the entire nation. We could even power Asia,“ said the Climate wind power capacity each year to 2040 we could achieve 100 per cent Council CEO. renewables. “[As energy sources] solar and wind are unconstrained on any practical measure and could do the whole lot fairly easily. Renewables are on track to push fossils fuels and nuclear out of the picture within the next ten to fifteen years,” he said, adding “And war would never break out over solar.“

Climate Control Still on the overall picture, we turn to the messages delivered by Anna Skarbek of ClimateWorks Australia who reiterated two degrees

A word of recognition and thanks Solar 2015 was very generously sponsored by ABB, Sunvertec, Hareon Solar, Greenbank Environmental, Enphase Energy, AC Solar Warehouse and DVN GL. The event was supported by the Victorian state government and welcomed conference partners the CEFC and SEIA. We would also like to thank all exhibitors for their high quality stands and presentations as well as their interest and engagement with all expo delegates.

10 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

Analytical minds Kobad Bhavnagri of Bloomberg New Energy Finance presented raw data: Global investment in renewables reached $2 trillion in the decade to 2014. Australian investment in renewables peaked at $2500 million in 2010 and remained strong until 2013 after which it slumped badly.

The leading independent analyst in the renewables sector believes “spectacular declines in cost per watt solar energy systems are behind us and a flatter market lies ahead,” but Bhavnagri is “Very bullish about PV projections, with the annual market reaching 700 to 1100 MW. “Lots of [solar energy] volume will enter the electricity network. PV is an unstoppable beast and by 2030 all who can have PV will have PV.” Later his colleague Hugh Bromley described solar energy as disruptive throughout the world and Australia is at the forefront.

Ric Brazzale of Green Energy Trading illustrated the 47 per cent increase in systems size from 1.3 kW in 2009 to 4.4 kW in 2014 and he forecasts 2015 will be the best year yet for installations, taking the total market – residential commercial and power stations – to a milestone 1000 MW.

Later he added “Given our high penetration of residential rooftops, there is an excellent chance that Australia will be a leader in residential storage systems. It is a telling sign that energy companies are starting to scramble to try to find services that we want to continue to buy from them.”

(All Solar 2015 presenters’ addresses can be viewed at www.solar.org.au) The CEFC’s role as a cornerstone financier for solar energy enterprise complements that of ARENA. With a mission to support the clean energy industry “from concept to fully baked” they have in the two years since inception invested $1 billion in projects.

Finance for 70 projects alone have produced 600 MW of clean energy generation and more than a quarter of the portfolio is destined for the Fiona O’Hehir of Greenbank Environmental with Solar Council Board Members Anthony Sachs and Barbara Elliston

Agents of change ARENA is facilitating the transition to renewable energy and says accelerated uptake will continue, “until our energy systems are transformed”. CEO Ivor Frischknecht revealed that ARENA is currently assessing 116 applications seeking $1.4 billion ARENA funding for projects worth $4.5 billion.

“We have a steady flow of applications but are always on the look out for high quality investment opportunities [and] a majority of the projects ARENA supports are solar, so most of the funding goes into solar.”

solar sector, examples being Sundrop farms (new technology), SunEdison (new models), Uterne (smaller scale solar) and Moree (large scale).

CEFC CEO Oliver Yates wants industry to succeed and to foster private investors with the purpose of shoring up knowledge and experience.

“We are helping catalyse more investment into the solar sector,” he said, and expects commercial banks to follow in the renewables investment path.

Yates’s views paralleled the welcome words of Clean Energy Regulator Mark Williamson: “Solar energy occupies a big slice of clean energy but is set to get much larger. It is likely to find more innovation and funding.”

We leave that as a parting thought.

Sunny states of Queensland and Victoria Queensland’s new Labor government has voiced strong commitment toward renewable energy and Energy Minister Mark Bailey relayed the good news at Solar 2015 outlining government plans to lift the number of households with rooftop solar from the current 400,000 to one million by 2020.

“Renewable energy is a front and centre issue and the Queensland government has a target of 50 per cent by 2030,” the Minister declared.

“We want to unlock potential. The 90 per cent plummet in investment in renewables must turn around.

“Queensland is open for clean energy business.”

Importantly, the then state opposition’s solar policy was key to its landslide victory, in concert with the Save Solar Campaign run by the Solar Council whose Chief Executive John Grimes said “For once the renewable energy and solar industry sector had more influence on the outcome of an election than did the fossil fuel sector.”

Victoria’s new Labor government is on a similar path. Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio commented: “The clean energy vision underpins the future economy [and] good energy policy is forward thinking. The Victorian government is a friend of renewable energy and solar energy and wants to facilitate solar energy and the technology that goes with it, evidenced by the government’s review of distributed costs and with a view to fair access to the grid and no disincentives for owners of solar systems.”

Victoria’s Energy Efficiency and Productivity Statement will be released later in 2015 along with the Renewable Energy roadmap.

RET: Butler says follow the sun Climate Change Spokesman Mark Butler addressed the RET review and decline in investment caused by uncertainty but he noted that a

Pictured are Victoria’s new Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and Solar Council President Steve Blume speaking at Solar 2015 renewables target of 33,000 GWh – pared back from 41,200 GWh - would nevertheless represent 25 per cent of electricity demand and effectively doubles the capacity of installations over the past 12 years. Once elected to run the nation Labor would top up the 2020 target and put the wheels in motion for a clean energy vision to 2030, said the Shadow Environment Minister who is a powerful ally in the Save Solar campaign. A campaign that highlighted the power of solar to change votes.

As captured by Tony Douglas of Essential Media Communications: “[Polls reveal that] the cost of living tops voters’ concerns. They also feel disempowered. It is in their interests to vote for [political parties that support] their self-interests and this industry – solar and renewables – can greatly influence numbers.

Solar Progress | 11

Save Solar Campaign

Shifting sands Swings and roundabouts: while the PM stepped up his campaign against clean energy in the lead-up to a vote on the RET, renewables advocates were setting their sights on higher and more realistic targets.

IN MID-JUNE the Prime Minister publicly declared his intent to cut the Renewable Energy Target as much as possible which is “as far as the current Senate would allow”, adding it was a “mistake” to have set up the target in the first place.

Strong statements that summed up the ongoing battle faced by the renewables sector to secure the necessary foothold.

“If the PM had managed to get enough crossbench Senators over the line they could have made much more drastic changes to the RET. That is what he intended but we pulled out all stops to prevent further cuts,” John Grimes of the Solar Council said in reference to his intensive round of meetings with crossbench Senators.

In late June the Senate voted and following the Solar Council’s widely lauded Save Solar campaign, Small Scale Solar was saved with no change to the 100 kW threshold, no change to deeming or the $40 STC price and rebates continuing for the foreseeable future.

The large-scale RET however was wound back from 41,000 GWh to 33,000 GWh which was effectively the best ‘deal’ the ALP could broker.

Shadow Environment Minister Mark Butler pointed out the compromise nevertheless paves the way for a doubling in large-scale capacity over the next five years – the original agreement called for a trebling – and sets Australia on the path for near 25 per cent of electricity generated by renewable energy by 2020.

Stamping out regular reviews Importantly, Labor refused to sign-off on regular reviews of the target, a sinister proposal by the RET panel that would have quashed industry confidence and investment. The backlash to the proposal was as fast as it was intensive and media from all walks of life called on John Grimes for comment on the contentious issue.

Following a series of Save Solar meetings with the ALP, Mark Butler dug in his heels stating “A two yearly review of the RET would have destroyed the industry as it gets to the heart of investor confidence. This is a big issue, a critical issue – so there was no deal.”

Speaking after the Senate vote, Wayne Smith of the Save Solar campaign remarked: “We stopped the wrecking ball and saved thousands of solar jobs, now the campaign to secure a stronger footing for the solar sector continues.”

Shadow Environment Minister Mark Saving big solar Butler at the Kobad Bhavnagri of Bloomberg New Energy Solar 2015 Conference Finance constantly asserts the importance of

12 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

Amanda McKenzie of the Climate Council with Wayne Smith of Clean Economy Services policy certainty to underpin investment in the sector, noting large scale has limped along since early 2014 when the review was announced.

Although the CEFC and ARENA have successfully pushed through several large scale projects, investment fell by as much as 80 per cent in that time.

Labor leader Bill Shorten recognises the need to lift the game on big projects and has committed Labor to a higher Renewable Energy Target beyond 2020, declaring: “Labor will use this target as a floor and if elected, acting on the advice of the sector, will increase the RET out to 2030 to bolster investment, specifically in large scale solar.”

Popular solar, popular vote A quick reminder at this juncture that Solar Wins Votes. Labor swept to power in the states of Queensland and Victoria and respective Energy Ministers Mark Bailey and Lily D’Ambrosio are well versed on the vote-winning popularity of solar energy. Both are actively fine-tuning comprehensive polices that will cement the role of renewables.

The Solar Council welcomes these crucial state developments as well as ALP’s commitment toward a higher target, and is now calling for ‘at least 50 per cent renewables by 2030’ while stepping up the emphasis on big solar.

“The Solar Council will continue to support and advocate for the more than 90 per cent of Australians who want more solar, not less,” John Grimes said. “We will campaign fiercely between now and the next federal election to get a bi-partisan commitment to a renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030 which is needed to transform our energy system. And we will fight for Big Solar to be built in Australia before 2020, “Building a strong Big Solar capacity in Australia will create the economy of the future.”

Feel compelled to express your views at federal level?

Tap out an email to: greg.hunt.mp@aph.gov.au [Environment Minister], ian.macfarlane.mp@aph.gov.au mark.butler.mp@aph.gov.au [Opposition Environment spokesman] gary.gray.mp@aph.gov.au [Opposition Industry spokesman]

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Investment in future energy

Solar’s sunny future: The rollout of further utility scale projects and the commercial sector’s increasing uptake of solar PV explains why solar is positioned to play a significant role in Australia’s energy future, says the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

CEFC CEO OLIVER YATES says a trend towards lower costs of large-scale projects internationally, the prospect of agreement on a revised Renewable Energy Target and some of the world’s most affordable solar PV in the residential and commercial sector, are key factors influencing Australia’s accelerating adoption of solar.

For its part, leading independent analyst Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that up to 40 per cent of the RET could be met by solar over the next five years, even with the proposed reduced target. It forecasts that substantial reductions in the economics of large-scale solar by 2020 will enable the commissioning of as much as 2-3 GW of solar capacity under the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET).

The Clean Energy Council estimates the revised RET, when passed by the Australian Parliament, has the potential to unlock more than $40 billion in investment in the renewable energy sector and will likely support hundreds of medium-scale solar projects among businesses to looking to manage electricity costs.

The CEC has flagged positive large-scale solar developments such as Solar Choice’s $1 billion solar farm on Queensland’s Darling Downs, Westgen’s solar farm on the outskirts of Perth, FRV’s 150 MW solar power plant at Clare in Far North Queensland and ConEnergy’s 35 MW of large-scale solar.

These projects are in addition to a number of large scale projects currently under construction, including Broken Hill Solar and Nyngan Solar in NSW and Kogan Creek in Queensland. The CEFC’s investment in utility scale solar is helping accelerate the development of the Moree Solar farm in NSW and the expansion of the Uterne solar farm in the Northern Territory.

Financing projects Oliver Yates told Solar Progress that while commercially-viable, proven, utility-scale projects could be well placed to get access to private sector finance, the CEFC will continue to play a complementary role, alongside private sector co-financiers, including investing in technologies that have not been widely deployed at the utility scale to date.

“We’ll also be working to bridge the financing gap for projects using proven technologies that are unable to secure long-term power-purchase

agreements,” he said, acknowledging that the rollout of solar related technologies would create challenges and opportunities for grid operators, retailers and energy users alike.

To assist in diversifying the range of options in the market to grow the commercial and residential uptake of solar, the CEFC is supporting financing programs which help the rollout of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and leasing programs that remove the barriers of upfront costs and technology and maintenance issues.

Shrinking paybacks While the payback period for a small-scale solar plus storage system is currently around 20 years, this is expected to halve in the next five years.

“The development of affordable battery technology will give solar users greater flexibility and control over their grid energy use and costs. Solar with storage also has major implications for remote area use, where it can provide greater stability to energy supplies and reduce the reliance on dieselfired generators,” Yates said.

“Many opportunities are emerging for large, 100 kWh+ commercial installations for warehouses, office buildings, shopping centres, retail outlets as well as utility scale solar in remote locations, mine sites and fringe of grid applications.”

The CEFC also supports investment through green bonds that increase the amount of private sector capital available for renewables and provide investors with a unique opportunity to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency through a low-risk, high quality (rated AA-) fixed-income product.

“At the same time, green bonds support long term investment in important low carbon infrastructure projects which can benefit the broader economy,” Yates said.

“We are continuing to advance finance for further utility-scale solar PV and solar thermal projects as well as remote area off-grid solar plus storage projects. We see a bright future for solar in Australia, and we are looking to continue unlocking opportunities that will further accelerate its uptake.” www.cleanenergyfinancecorp.com.au

The PV system at Col Crawford car dealership in Sydney was financed by the CEFC and Commonwealth Bank through the Energy Efficient Loan program.

CEFC CEO Oliver Yates is unlocking potential in solar investment.

Solar’s bigger picture

CST gains a foothold in Australia Australian company Vast Solar has broken new ground by building a concentrating solar thermal pilot plant as a precursor to larger and more cost effective storage plants.

Timing is ideal given the growing environmental and financial benefits of solar-thermal technology and large-scale solar plants.

Jemalong Solar Thermal Station in NSW: Vast Solar’s 6 MW pilot plant

EVERYONE LOVES TO HEAR about a quiet achiever, especially one which combines smart technology with environmental imperatives that herald the dawn of a new era. And that is how you might describe Australian company Vast Solar, which is about to flick the switch at its 6 MW concentrating solar thermal pilot plant in Jemalong, central NSW. The first and as yet only solar thermal power tower in Australia.

The $10 million modular storage plant contains five solar array modules, sporting 700 heliostats (all up 3500 heliostats) on, each with one 27 metre tower, which connect to a central thermal energy storage tank with molten salt heat exchange medium. Stored thermal energy will pass through a traditional steam turbine and generator to export power to the grid via Essential Energy.

Vast Solar founder and Chief Technology Officer James Fisher told Solar Progress that the plant will generate three hours’ thermal energy storage to supply 1.1 MWh (total 3.3 MWh) or 2200 MW annually and that in a world first, the plant deploys the MACCSol air cooled condenser to avoid use of water in the cooling cycle.

He remarked on the “good future for [thermal energy] storage, without which CST would not be in the game.” But he concedes that building CST is a long, slow process.

“CST is very complex, combining chemistry, physics, electrical and civil engineering and more – and plant assembly is part of the challenge. The number one metric in [development of] CSP is return on investment for owners,” he said. “Right now banks would not have touched us.”

The plant did however attract funding from Twynam Agricultural Group, technical support from Doosan-Skoda Power and a $5 million ARENA

16 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

grant, with The University of South Australia, ANU and UNSW contributing research.

Plans are now underway to build a 30 MW CST plant with four hours thermal energy storage and deliver energy at an affordable US$74 kWh which is an attractive proposition for miners.

“Mining operations have significant loads, up to 24 hours a day, and that’s perfect for solar thermal because thermal storage is low cost: a turbine, power block and arrays, and if you build a 1 MW turbine the fixed costs are similar to a 50 MW plant,” Fisher explained. “That’s why you need to be in the 30+ MW range to be commercial and many of the miners have those sorts of loads.

“When you move up to high capacity factors you just need to install more solar arrays and increase thermal storage so you can end up with low levelised cost of electricity.

“There are some [CST] projects here in Australia which will almost certainly happen in the next few years because the miners want to save money. I believe we have a compelling offering for off-grid as well as on-grid miners. It gives redundancy too for those on grid – and many are – because if the grid goes down for even just one hour it can shut down the mine for an entire week. That is rare but not unknown. That week’s production can be very expensive but solar thermal would drive through an event like that.”

Cranking up plant capacity to 12 or 16 hours’ storage is the goal, and with higher economies of scale the LCOE on 120 MW plants would come in around $US28 kWh. (James Fisher likes to contrast this with Tesla batteries costing around $250 kWh and its competitors three to four times

Rosy picture for large-scale solar Investment in large-scale solar plummeted in 2014 due to the RET Review but economics mixed with popularity are set to win out in the longer term. Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts substantial economics of scale in large solar plants will enable the commissioning of between 2 and 3 GW of solar capacity by 2020, bringing Australia’s large-scale solar capacity to 2.90 GW by 2021.

James Fisher, Vast Solar founder and Chief Technology Officer

ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht who has long quoted the cost curve says “Comparatively speaking, big solar is still in its infancy in Australia but large scale solar in Australia has come a long way in the last couple of years.”

Commissioned by ARENA an online survey by Ipsos found more than three quarters of Australians (77 per cent) believe large-scale solar facilities can be a significant source of energy to help meet Australia’s energy needs. Of those surveyed 60 per cent agreed that funding for large-scale solar facilities should be prioritised over funding for non-renewable energy sources. Such findings vindicate ARENA’s significant investment in solar energy resources.

For its part the CEFC continues to advance finance for utility-scale solar PV and solar thermal projects, and maintains that commercially viable utility-scale projects will attract private sector finance. (See CEFC report on page 14.)

Despite the concern caused by the revised Large-scale Renewable Energy Target, the future appears promising for large-scale solar plants thanks to growing public awareness and acceptance; expertise of CST visionaries such as Vast Solar who are reaching out to target markets; and increasing investor interest (as well as confidence) fuelled by commercial and environmental imperatives. In a word: viability.

that amount.) “If all went well in gaining power purchase agreements we could start production on larger plants right away.” James Fisher says.

Solar Reserve

Real cost reductions will come from scaling-up, he says, and with 20 companies in China currently promoting the technology that could be sooner rather than later.

“We need to reach a price point [in CSP with liquid salt storage] where the

CST giant SolarReserve is also weighing up options for solar thermal

mining sector can discount the risk, the challenge is to demonstrate benefits.

towers and storage in Australian mining regions and off-grid

The future is highly competitive.”

communities. Director of Development Australia Daniel Thompson says the Pilbara region presents an “exciting opportunity due to its excellent

Comparisons dead, alive and half-baked

solar resource and large mining loads currently serviced by expensively

To date Australia has struggled to get CST across the line. The proposed

produced electricity”.

2 MW Cloncurry solar thermal tower power plant project was scrapped by

Kalgoorlie, Port Augusta and areas of Western Queensland and New South Wales with proximity to industrial loads coupled with “superb solar resource” are also under consideration.

SolarReserve is the name behind the world’s first utility-scale facility, the mighty 110 MW Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant in Nevada with a 195 metre tower and advanced molten salt energy storage capabilities. The plant which is due to come on online any day now uses dry cooling technology to minimise water use and eliminates the need for any backup fossil fuels.

Generating 10 hours of full load storage – the equivalent of 1,100 MWh

Queensland’s Liberal government on its misguided mission to wind back climate change initiatives.

In operation however is the 9.3 MW concentrating solar thermal plant at Liddell coal-fired station in the Hunter Valley which uses Fresnel technology (CLFR) with direct steam generation to provide the solar steam boost.

At 44 MW a similar but much larger CSP-coal hybrid project is under construction at the Kogan Creek coal power station.

Large-scale solar farms (absent thermal storage technology) include the 10 MW Greenough River solar farm in WA (2012) and the 20 MW Royalla

– Crescent Dunes will deliver 24/7 electricity to 75,000 homes in Las Vegas

plant in ACT (unveiled in 2014) and soon to be completed is the largest

during peak demand periods at $US135 per MWh.

in Australia: the 102 MW solar farm at Nyngan in NSW and 53 MW sister

“There is no battery solution that can be installed within ten times the

plant at Broken Hill, along with the 56 MW plant emerging in Moree.

price of what we offer with this technology,” said Global Vice President Tom

But investment in large scale solar took a severe hit on the back of the

Georgis. “Solar towers and storage can easily compete with diesel, the main

renewables review. John Grimes of the Solar Council who recognises

fuel used on remote mines. It’s the only the commercially viable renewable

enormous potential and is fighting for larger targets says “Building a strong

energy that can replace fossil fuel technology.”

big solar capacity in Australia will create the economy of the future.”

Solar Progress | 17

POWERful numbers PV installations in Australia

NEM consumption expressed as GWh per annum

2009

2006

62,291

203,925

2010 198,185

2008 206,961 (peak)

2011 359,566 (peak)

2011

2012 341,810

2014 188,979

2013 200,405

1.1%: NEM consumption decline in 2014

2014 182,500 (half that of 2011)

201,291

(driven largely by solar and energy efficiency)

Energy consumption 2013-2014: VICTORIA down 3.5%

SA down 1.7%

NSW down 0.7%

QUEENSLAND up 0.9%

From 13.8% (2013) down to 11.8% (2014) = decrease in renewables’ share of energy market 1% = increase in greenhouse gas emissions during 2014

Did you know?

The average size rooftop PV system in Australia has increased from

1.3 kW in 2009 to 4.4 kW in 2015.

And

“2015 will be the best year yet for installations, taking the total market – residential, commercial and power stations – to a milestone 1000 MW.” Presented by Ric Brazzale of Green Energy Trading, www.greenmarkets.com.au

Residential PV systems’ international comparisons

Japan California Germany Australia

Average system size

$US/W price

$US system cost

4.6 kW 6.5 kW 6.5 kW 4.4 kW

3.8 3.1 2.1 1.8

17,700 19,900 13,800 7,700

Loan repayments on a 2.4 kW PV system

Survey of global executives on the ‘Greatest value proposition’ for distributed energy

Mortgage 6% Home equity loan 6.1% Personal loan 14.2% Credit card 18%

37% 30% 21% 6% 5%

Savings on grid power Low cost of energy Operational resilience Local environmental benefit Climate benefits

Did you know?

Worldwide 1,300,000,000 (1.3 billion) people do not have access to electricity.

Presented by Hugh Bromley of Bloomberg New Energy Finance

Founding members

IN MAY THE ENERGY STORAGE COUNCIL hosted its inaugural Conference alongside the Solar Energy Exhibition & Conference in Melbourne.

With seating to host 400 delegates the ESC conference room was consistently full with delegates enjoying expert and lively presentations over the two days.

The Conference program was designed to give delegates a full overview of the current state of energy storage in Australia, with featured highlights on international markets. This included more than 30 speakers focusing on current market developments and trends, technology integration, policy making and industry case studies in Australia and globally.

We were delighted to welcome international keynote speakers Mr Raghu Belur, Co-founder of Enphase Energy, Dr Ali Nourai, Energy Storage Segment Director, DNV GL and Mr Takashi Yano, Deputy General Manager Infrastructure Business Division, Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.

Gold members

Inaugural Members Meeting Alongside the Conference in Melbourne, the ESC also hosted its first members meeting. Although the ESC has hosted numerous teleconferences since our launch this was the first time all our members have had the opportunity to meet in person and discuss important next activities for the Council.

Silver members

ESC on the International Stage Through our partnership with the China Energy Storage Alliance, John Grimes, CEO was invited to attend and present at their Conference on 3 – 4 June in Beijing, China.

John presented an analysis of Decentralized PV and Energy Storage Policy in Australia to over 500 international delegates.

John also used this opportunity to meet with key international companies and organisations, including a site tour of ESC member AlphaESS factory in Suzhou, China.

Strategic Partnerships The ESC has confirmed another key international partnership, forming an official alliance with the India Energy Storage Alliance. The IESA promotes Electric Energy Storage (EES) technologies and applications in India, further details can be found online at www.indiaesa.info The ESC will be working closely over the coming months with all our international partners – US Energy Storage Association (ESA), China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) and India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) – to strengthen Australia’s position in the global energy storage industry.

More information on the Energy Storage Council can be found at www.energystorage.org.au or contact Lorrae Ingham at Lorrae@energystorage.org.au

20 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

Bronze members Clean Energy Solar Dynamic Solar Energy Invest Australia Enervision Australia EV Power Australia Greenlink Solar I Want Energy Infinity Power

K&L Gates MyPower MP Navitus Solar Off Grid Power Solutions Renewable Energy Installations Reposit Power Solar PV Commercial

SolarIM SolarQuotes Standard Solar Sunjuice Solar The Green House Effect TKSolar Towards Tomorrow

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STORAGE

progression The pace of progress in the storage industry is as phenomenal as it is exciting. More and more high-tech companies are announcing new products and collaborations, generating smarter and more efficient offerings. Pundits are now declaring that battery storage could well be competitive for Australian households as early as 2016. A positive equation for those involved in storage and those wanting storage.

SOMEONE RECENTLY DECLARED, “Australia is ready for storage – and the manufacturers are lining up.” The observation is spot on, and the general consensus is that Australia with its high levels of rooftop PV is emerging as the ‘testing ground’ for storage and implementation.

Case in point: US smart energy company Enphase Energy has selected Australia as the launchpad in early 2015 of its Enphase AC Battery, a modular, plug-and-play energy storage system that’s fully integrated into the Enphase Energy Management System with its built-in inverter and software that communicates with the grid.

“Australia is going to be the testing ground for the world,” said Enphase co-founder Raghu Belur during a recent trip downunder. “It is a perfect environment for storage. We will learn so much here about all the challenges and opportunities that all other energy economies will face.”

He forecasts that by 2020 Australia could be home to 1,000 MWh of residential battery storage which would equate to 100,000 homes with a 10 kWh install, and says distributed energy always wins in the long run.

John Grimes, Chief Executive of the Solar Council, who believes consumers will “run not walk” towards home battery providers predicts “that even with the significant upfront outlay, people will be keen to buy the solar energy storage systems from local businesses in order to have greater control over their energy use and energy future.”

There are plenty of local options right now.

The address: Electric Ave, Sparks, Nevada.

The mission: To reshape global power supplies

22 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

The May Day announcement by Tesla – more on that later – actually turned out to be good news for Brisbane-based zinc bromide module maker RedFlow. Chief executive Stuart Smith says Tesla’s entry to the largescale battery market represents “a significant new competitor” as well as a net-positive: the sector has gained enormous attention. RedFlow has been around for several years and drives home the point its ZBM batteries which offer “substantial technical and environmental advantages over lithium-ion and lead-acid battery chemistries” are available now. The company has several trials underway with utilities and telecommunications companies and a recent capital raising program attracted an additional $16.1 million from investors. A sign of significant confidence in the sector.

Lithium-ion battery technology is the choice of InHouse Energy, the solar energy storage offshoot of well-established ATI Australia. InHouse director Peter Choquenot says their solar energy storage system’s advanced lithium ion battery systems and intelligent controllers for home, commercial, industrial and regional installations – on and off grid – are available for sale now. They offer a 3.5 kWh, 5.6 kWh and 11.2 kWh battery.

Canberra-based Reposit Power which is best described as an intermediary between households, retailers, network companies and the wholesale electricity market - is teaming up with Tesla by using its Powerwall battery in a series of trials enabling households with solar and storage to trade energy during the day. Known as GridCredits the technology intelligently decides on behalf of households throughout the day whether to store energy in the battery or sell it back to the grid at a profit.

“Reposit effectively allows households to provide value to the energy market and get paid for that,” Chief Operating Officer Luke Osborne told delegates at the Energy Storage Council conference. “People want control over power bills and appliances and to reduce complexity of energy companies; Reposit Power merges storage and controllable loads into a single energy system enabling users to intelligently consume or reduce energy costs and sell back to the grid when prices are high.”

[Later this year Reposit is following up with a commercial offer and option of Tesla’s Powerpack; the offer has already gained several thousand expressions of interest from businesses.]

ARENA – which helped fund the Reposit trial – says this demonstrates the value of funding pilot scale projects to show how renewable energy technologies can operate in Australia’s electricity grids, and that solar storage is becoming more cost effective.

Inside ARENA “Storage of rooftop solar stands to be a real game changer in terms of value for customers. For those who Nigel Morris of SolarBusinessServices chaired the ESC conference Panel Session: Optimising don’t benefit from generous feed-in tariffs, the value battery storage for the new energy economy. Panellists L to R: Greg Wolfson of Enphase of solar generated energy can increase from 5 to 8 Energy, Glen Morris of SolarQuip, Hugh Bromley of BNEF and Andrew Reid of Century Yuasa cents per kilowatt hour, to 25 cents or more,” CEO Ivor Batteries. Photo courtesy Olivia Smith of Enphase Energy Frischknecht says. “The economics look very interesting.

It won’t be long before storage becomes a compelling EnergyAustralia is allegedly trialing battery storage technology proposition, given current tariff structures.” (unconfirmed reports suggest in collaboration with Enphase) as a future There is no question consumers see storage as the next “big thing”, customer offering but will it beat Origin Energy which is said to be fast he said and “Given our high penetration of residential rooftops, there is tracking plans for a battery launch for householders? an excellent chance that Australia will be a leader in residential storage For its part – and in a move to avoid costly upgrades to poles and wires systems. It is a telling sign that energy companies are starting to scramble – Ergon Energy is installing one hundred battery storage systems. Ergon to try to find services that we want to continue to buy from them.” has teamed with Panasonic Australia, which to date has sold more than 10 AGL Energy customers can register interest in the ‘Power Advantage’ billion lithium-ion cells, to commence pilot projects with ActewAGL, Snowy proposition which will include 6 kWh lithium-ion batteries suited to rooftop Hydro’s Red Energy and to install its Residential Storage Battery System PV of 3.0 to 4.5 kW. of 8 kWh usable capacity and 2 kWh output, using lithium-ion battery

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technology battery technology in selected customers’ rooftop PV in ACT, NSW and Queensland.

All-in-ones Some of the other increasingly popular all-in-one’s on the market are Bosch, Alpha ESS and Fronius (see page 28). Bosch’s smart storage system was launched several years ago and greater sophistication is imminent says Frederik Troester.

“As of September our e.Control management system will be available.

This is the intelligent link between our inverters or Hybrid and our heat pump. A heat pump is a cheaper form of storage (thermal storage) and you use your PV power to generate “free of charge” hot water and increase therefore the self-consumption of your PV power.”

AlphaESS has developed an all-in-one Energy Management System for solar households. The series includes a 3 kW and 5 kW solution with the flexibility of installing a maximum of five battery units with each of the units nominated at 2.5 kWh.

“The product is a perfect suit for Australians who want their home to be powered purely by renewable energy,” said Dr Dong Lin of AlphaESS Australia. “With 5 kW PV generating around 20 kWh a day, and the batteries storing half of that for nighttime use, the average household can be independent from the grid.”

With large charging and discharging capacity, and smart control by the EMS, the system can maximise self-consumption of a PV system up to 10 per cent.

“We are trying to integrate as much functionality as we can into the system because the EMS is the core of our business [and] in future it will also integrate with smart home devices and act as the basis of energy internet with decentralised power generation,” said Dong who added the payback of around eight years will shrink to six or seven years once the market takes off.

Storage who’s who and what they are up to Staged in mid May, the Energy Storage Council reducing the site’s diesel consumption to just conference showcased the who’s who of storage 20 per cent. EMC monitors all aspects of the technologies and delivered some powerful insights, system from its control centre in Perth. among them an overview by Dr Ali Nourai of Many companies are eyeing up energy DNV GL. opportunities in Australia’s mining regions.

He said global megatrends of climate change, Among them is Sumitomo Electric Industries, extreme weather, decreasing PV and battery costs, the Japanese company established in 1897 higher electricity grid costs, big data and control, EVs by a Buddhist monk blessed with scientific and more present a favourable impact on storage genius. With a history in copper cabling and market. The US Storage market grew 400 per cent in automotive applications Sumitomo, maker of Paul Scerri and Takashi (Ted) Yano of 2014, and while one third of all installed or current the large capacity MW class Redox Flow Battery Sumitomo storage projects are lithium-ion, today it is used in (REDuction to gain electrons and OXidation more than half of all capacity deployed. Dr Nourai believes that “Smarter to lose electrons) promotes battery systems as a new type of resource software not cheaper hardware is just in commercial and industrial, isolated utility, substation and renewables what the storage market needs” and generation. Redox has been proven in 20 large-scale projects from PV to notes that storage is rapidly expanding CPV systems and thermal storage and highlights the battery’s 270,000 beyond the grid and going offshore cycles in three years in a 31 MW wind farm. Takashi (Ted) Yano told Solar – maritime and oil and gas fields – in Progress the company is well suited to supply Australia’s remote mining the “race to grid edge” for distributed communities. resources.

ESC conference delegates also heard Some arrive sooner rather that later: from John Wood of Ecoult on Energy Perth based Energy Made Clean is a leader Storage used for Diesel Reduction and in off-grid projects, with several under Renewables Integration in Remote management and many more proposals Telecom applications; Rod Scott of John Davidson of Energy in the pipeline. Managing Director John Selectronic Australia: Why energy storage Made Clean Davidson who designs, engineers and doesn’t make ‘cents’ - the other benefits constructs hybrid renewables addressed explained; and Bernie Reinke of RedFlow the EMC project at Thevenard Island. Located in the Pilbara Coastal on Microgrids and Energy Storage. region it’s about as remote as you can get, but with the addition of a Stace Tzamtzidis of Schneider Electric John Wood of Ecoult mini grid in December 2014 it is home to the latest in hybrid power presented the popular address Commercial technology.

Off Grid Solutions - AC vs DC Coupling The storage system comprises 325 kW of solar PV, 64 kWh Sony and Christopher Freitas of Redback Technologies ‘The Tipping Point.’ lithium-ion phosphate battery and supplies the power needs of These and the other 25 presentations appear in full at eco-tourism resort Mackeral Island at the East of Thevenard island, www.energystorage.org.au

24 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

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“The economics look very interesting. It won’t be long before storage becomes a compelling proposition, given current tariff structures.”

Tesla revs up a market storm Following months of anticipation, “energy innovator” Tesla chose May Day to introduce its smart lithium-ion battery, the Powerwall, to the world. The wall-mounted 7 kWh and 10 kWh battery packs which are yet to hit the market have already generated a frenzy among the media and industry around the globe.

Tesla has done several vitally important things for the renewables sector: it’s put storage on the map, heralded a bright new energy independent future and steered thinking away from fossil fuels. It’s great news for anyone involved in storage or with a concern for global warming.

But in terms of the Tesla battery, people today want to know when, where, and what – will it cost.

The 7 kWh system should be on sale in Australia early next year at around $US3000. Nigel Morris of SolarBusinessServices reckons it will be installed in homes for well under $AU10,000, that is $3790 to $4473 plus installation costs, which will generate mass appeal but he says “What really counts of course is the lifetime energy cost and the usability of that energy against different tariffs.”

Bernstein Research reveals that at $US350 per kWh installed capacity for the 10 kWh model, Powerwall comes in well below the $US550 kWh modeled and that Powerwall could supply power at US27¢ a kW, enabling a five-year payback.

The big sister Powerpack which will clock in at around $US250 kWh compares very favourably with rivals’ $US800-$US1000 kWh, notes Morgan Stanley.

The Powerpack – whose 100 kWh blocks can be grouped to provide more than 10 MWh – is designed to target the utility scale market and Tesla’s Elon Musk, the man least likely to ever be accused of lacking vision, says that 160 million Tesla Powerpacks would enable the US to rely 100 per cent on renewable energy; 900 million could transition the world while two billion Powerpacks would be the knockout punch to utilities and fossil fuels by powering transport and heating.

“Once we’re able to rely on renewable energy sources for our power consumption, the top 50% of the dirtiest power generation resources could retire early,” says Tesla’s Elon Musk

26 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

Storage maestro Glen Morris Giles Parkinson of RenewEcon sums the scenario: “It changes everything.

In one fell swoop, Tesla has cut the cost of stationary battery storage by more than half, delivering disruption to the doorsteps of incumbent utilities and fossil fuel generators that most did not imagine would emerge for at least another decade.” Others say [the Tesla battery] is “tantalisingly priced” for attracting a raft of early adopters.”

A quick trip down memory lane: RenewEcon has been tracking forecasts.

It is late 2013 and CSIRO forecasts battery storage could be economic in the mass market around 2040. Turn to 2014 and AGL predicts 2030. UBS suggests going completely off grid might be economic in 2018. But will 2016 be the tipping point?

Steve Blume who is President of the Energy Storage Council reckons if Tesla can deliver battery storage at the price announced, “then this is a massively disruptive initiative [that] will force other battery suppliers to compete at around the same price, and will force the rapid change at network level that has not been apparent to date.”

Steve actually said that more than four weeks ago – which in the fastevolving world of storage is an eternity. Battery battles are indeed breaking out and household names Sony, Panasonic, GE and Samsung are scaling up in the bid to secure a bigger slice of the billion-dollar market which is on an unprecedented trajectory. While prices plummet storage costs are falling at 20 per cent or more each year, part of an escalating trend.

Australia is at the ready and at the forefront. We have the innovators, the technology, the solar rooftops; mortgage rates are low, solar radiation is in abundance, interest in storage is on the boil, and solar devotees have a desire to knock the utilities off their perch and send a message to the fossil fuel loving PM. But storage maestro Glen Morris – who is Vice President of the Energy Storage Council – wants to ensure we get off on the right track. He says the missing link in the storage evolutionary chain is standards, and with that, safety.

Glen has already been seconded to the Working Group charged with the task of developing Australian Standards.

Please email editor@solar.org.au

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Flexible Fronius teams with Tesla Flexibility is key for PV storage says Fronius which has teamed up with Tesla to develop communication compatibility between the Fronius Symo Hybrid inverter and the Tesla Home Battery. The Tesla Home Battery will be available as an alternative to the Fronius Solar Battery. Both options will work in conjunction with the Fronius Symo Hybrid inverter and a Fronius Smart Meter.

Fronius is therefore offering a second, wall-mounted storage solution, which is suitable for outdoor use.

Their reasoning: Everyone wants to have storage now but storage prices are still quite high, the market still an early adopters market. A PV system with storage has to be very well designed to pay off at this point in time. One of the challenges is that individual customer needs vary quite a bit.

The Fronius Energy Package offers flexibility and can be adapted to many different customer needs. A common scenario is that a customer interested in storage has an existing PV system to which batteries are added. In this case AC coupling is the way to go.

If the customer has a higher energy demand in the future, this scenario enables them to increase the PV output by adding more panels and connecting them directly to the Fronius Symo Hybrid inverter. In this case

Grid conn. AC Inverter

DC

Grid PV Array

AC coupled and DC coupling panels are part of the system. For customers who don’t already have a PV system and are looking to get storage from the ‘get go’, DC coupling is recommended.

The Fronius Energy Package Storage prices are expected to drop so adding batteries at a later point is an attractive option [and] with the Fronius Symo Hybrid, an integral part of the Fronius Energy Package, a normal grid connected system can be installed today and batteries easily added at a later date.

Fronius Multi Flow Technology organises energy flows.

It enables multiple energy flows simultaneously. In DC coupled mode only one inverter is needed - the Fronius Symo Hybrid inverter can supply the loads in the house with AC power and simultaneously charge the battery with DC. Or supply from the battery and from the PV generator.

In AC coupled mode the battery is usually charged from the AC coupled inverter. It can simultaneously charge from DC once panels are added. From a monetary aspect this provides an optimum selfconsumption ratio and therefore higher and quicker ROI. The Fronius Solar Battery is available in different sizes from 4.5 kWh to 12 kWh. The high performing lithium technology used in the Fronius Solar Battery guarantees a long service life, short charging times and high depth of discharge.

It is possible to increase its size by adding more battery banks to it, should the customer’s requirements change. The high performing lithium technology used in the Fronius Solar Battery guarantees a long service life; short charging times and high depth of discharge.

“Solar Energy storage will transform

Hybrid Inverter

how electricity is supplied, however for it to become prevalent, new business models and Loads

DC

PV Array

technological innovation must continue to develop to drive down its levelised cost. That’s why at present it’s important to design a PV

Battery Storage

system to be flexible and upgradeable to add

Figure: PV storage in AC coupled mode with additional DC couple panels in the future

storage at a time that suits the unique energy consumption needs of the customer,” said Managing Director Adrian Noronho.

Fronius’s advice to industry is: “Choose your battery wisely … cheap storage more

AC

often than not has a limited lifetime (small Hybrid Inverter

DC

quality battery can have a big impact on ROI. Fronius has 70 years of experience in battery

DC

PV Array

number of charging cycles). Choosing a

Grid

Battery Storage

charging solutions. The result is a solar Loads

battery that boasts 8000 charging cycles at a depth of discharging rate of 80 per cent. “ The Fronius storage solution offers flexibility and can adapt to individual

Figure: PV storage in DC coupled mode

28 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

customer needs today and in the future.

Q&A SPONSORED BY SOLAR AUSTRALIA Delegates to Solar 2015 were invited to lodge questions at the Q and A lounge sponsored

by Solar Australia. Clearly, as storage opportunities increase so does the strong interest in battery capabilities. Here our storage pro Glen Morris of SolarQuip addresses the two most common queries.

Question 1: Which battery technology is better: lead-acid or lithium?

Answer: Both technologies have their strengths and weaknesses. Lead-acid batteries have been around for 150 years or so and their operating characteristics and management are well understood. Safety standards for lead-acid have been developed and implemented for a long time – we know the risks and how to manage them safely. Lead is very easy to recycle and there are plenty of waste processing businesses that will even pay you for them.

On the negative side they are much heavier, less energy dense and require regular recharging to their full state in order to maintain their health (note that some of the newer lead-carbon cells are

metering. This means that on their electricity bill they will see the average amount of “spilled” solar energy (export). This is what their storage system needs to be able to capture.

Remember that no storage system has a “round trip” efficiency of 10 per cent. In fact it is more probably in the 60-70 per cent efficient range when allowing for losses in both the charging cycle and discharging cycle of the inverter plus the columbic efficiency of the battery itself. Given these losses then the “right” size for the energy storage is: kWh/day of exported energy divided by round trip efficiency of storage system.

Remember that batteries are usually described by their 10 per cent capacity, not their usable capacity. Be sure to use the latter when specifying a battery requirement (i.e. “I need 8 kWh/day of usable energy storage”).

much less negatively effected by partial state or charge cycling).

Lithium batteries on the other hand are a relatively new technology that has some very desirable characteristics for energy storage: lightweight, energy dense, rapid recharge, high specific power (chemistry dependent) and ability to be cycled in a partial state of charge with little ill effect. However, from a safety perspective we are still learning about how to manage them and in Australia, we have yet to develop safety standards that are appropriate. Recycling or safe disposal of the cells is yet to be easily achieved.

Ultimately for many system designers price/kWh of usable energy may be the main deciding factor. Lithium has been historically a much more expensive storage technology but their relentless price drop of 15-25 per cent per annum has meant that they are now overtaking lead-acid as the cheaper alternative.

There is one other big difference about these two technologies.

Most of the inverters that can take battery energy and converter it to mains AC power have been designed around lead-acid batteries which are relatively easy to manage with simple voltage and current set points – by contrast, lithium cells require extremely precise voltage and current management which is usually done by an intermediary piece of equipment known as a battery management system or BMS. These BMSs are often proprietary in their communications with charging sources and thus a close integration of the BMS to the charging source is usually only achieved with proprietary systems.

So, if you plan to use lithium storage with an inverter system then make sure that there is a suitable BMS to inverter communication system available.

Question 2: How much storage does an existing solar PV customer need?

Answer: The “best” customer to design a storage system is one who has already installed a grid-connected PV system with net

Solar Progress | 29

With much talk about the potential for storage we spoke to two installers who are finding the numbers already stack up.

Suburban solar and storage Select systems

IN MELBOURNE’S NORTH a large home on a large block housing an extended family features a 27 kW solar and 48 kWh storage system providing enough energy for the seven adults 24/7, twelve months a year.

System designer and installer Paul Wilson of ARVIO told Solar Progress that in the absence of a mainline gas connection the homeowners

In most cases rather than leaving the choice of components to customers, Paul selects all equipment – panels, inverters and batteries to get the best long-term outcome for the client and commented, “It’s more about value than it is about price.”

were fully dependent on electricity from the grid but wanted to be “as

Years of knowledge gained through testing and installations enable him

independent as possible, even in winter”. They agreed to the oversized

to “cut through the marketing spiel” and deliver what he knows is the best

rooftop PV system to enable sufficient power supply year round.

for each job, mindful of performance delivery and warranties.

Although the house remains connected to the grid, in the 18 months

“We cannot take any risk over warranties down the track so we are

since the install they have had little or no need to draw additional energy

quite specific about equipment,” he said, adding “We have settled on

and have reaped the benefits of almost total grid energy independence.

one inverter, Selectronic, and we liked it so much that we wrote our own

Without a single hitch, says Paul whose team monitors all performance

software package and smartphone apps. Selectronic is really the only

measures remotely.

choice [in stand alone systems] as it’s a battery inverter capable of replacing

Outback batteries BACK IN AUGUST 2014 Justin Bralic of JBEC Clean Energy Solutions installed a hybrid 100 kW Solar PV and battery storage container for an off-grid client in South Australia.

Without grid access the customer had only ever had one alternative, and like many others in the region the business was reliant on diesel generators.

“The main factor influencing outback solar and storage installations is the saving of generator running times and diesel fuel consumption,” Justin explained. “Our client is also an industry leader in the outback communities and wants to show other businesses in the region that green technologies are the way forward in the outback.”

During the quoting process Justin attached a load monitoring system to gauge the customer’s energy use and designed the hybrid system based on findings. The customer helped plan locations of the PV arrays and off-grid control centre (OGCC).

30 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

“We were limited on site for space to fit the array as there were many different building orientations that had to be considered during planning and design processes,” Justin said. “And because the customer had a large and variable load profile based on occupancy we had to try and take this into account when designing the battery charger and battery capacity.

“We had done a similar but smaller scale install in the region and we used the equipment that has always worked well for us in the past, including Jinko panels and VRLA Gel Batteries GNB Sonnenschein 1500AH 10 EPZ 1200.“ The batteries – which come with 1200 cycles and 20-year manufacturer warranty – are located in the control centre under benches either side of the walkway.

The system is locally and remotely monitored and the OGCC is equipped with 32-inch LCD monitor and onboard desktop PC.

the grid in the event of a blackout. Some other brands on the market can’t do that very well.

“When it comes to batteries the most vital factor to consider is the ‘cost per kilowatt hour life’ and we tell that to customers. The OPzV gel/lead acid battery used in the 27 kW installation is powerful and heavy, weighing in at 1800kg and according to readings it discharges up to a maximum of 50 per cent each evening, depending on usage.”

Paul mentioned sample jobs using lithium ion phosphate were underway but cost wise they are “not quite there yet on a ‘cost per kWh life’ basis which is what we test on” adding “We also like the additional reserve power in the OPzV batteries which is always ready to handle a blackout. Normally lithium batteries are cycled down to 20 per cent state of charge, so if a blackout happened when the battery is at that level there is little that you can get from it.”

Energy consumption and production checks are managed via the web. “We just log in and monitor performance remotely using all the appropriate and custom designed software so there is no need for regular visits. We check graphs to ensure it’s all ticking over as it should,” he explained. “Pretty much everything is monitored and maintained remotely – battery temperature and voltage and discharge cycle so there is little need for physical visits. The system itself reports any faults or anomalies.

It is however recommended that regular physical system checks are completed, to be safe and compliant. For example an annual terminal check or corrosion check.”

The anticipated lifespan of the battery bank is eight to ten years or more, and in Paul’s experience most customers are well aware of timelines, as well as the projected decline in battery costs in the next few years making replacements much more affordable.

Referencing GE estimates of a 90 per cent cost slide in batteries by 2030 Paul says “[Grid connected] Energy costs will be even higher in the future in contrast with much lower battery costs, so distributed energy will become much more common and widespread.”

Despite the upfront cost of the 27 kW installation (pictured), Paul estimates that once usage, [low] power bills, CPI and all other aspects are factored in, cost recovery will kick in at seven years. “After that the power is really free, less of course maintenance and battery change-over well into the future.

Transportation and installation The team installed the system in July and August “so heat and flies weren’t an issue unlike in summer where temperatures reach 50 degrees,” Justin said.

“Most of the Solar AC runs and the data cabling is underground so there was a bit of trenching involved between buildings and there were a lot of existing services so we had to be really careful.

“Transporting the OGCC to the site was also challenging: 400 kilometres of unsealed road present a treacherous journey for inexperienced truck drivers but there were no dramas in this case. Then on arrival the OGCC was lifted into place by a 50-tonne crane over the generator shed so that was another challenge, but carried out professionally by the local subcontractor.”

The system comes with an anticipated pay back period of five years.

Greater demand

He says customers can pay the principal up-front or use a finance plan to effectively buy their own power plant and generate their power, versus souring power from the grid which effectively is leasing a power plant via an energy company over the same period.

Paul keeps a keen eye on media coverage of the economies of solar energy and batteries but believes some reports are a bit skewed as people fail to consider all data and necessary information to weigh up the pros and cons. He maintains the numbers already stack up.

“On my estimates it makes sense today for many homeowners to look more closely at the financial and other benefits of stand alone systems.

Complete battery, solar, blackout protection system installs start at about $20,000. When you take into account your energy bills and their ever increasing path, it really does make a lot of sense. It’s much more fun to make your own power than to buy it from the power company. And you get blackout protection for free…”

Clearly many have concluded similar – Paul told Solar Progress he is currently installing two more large-sized solar and storage systems.

“I feel once other business people across the region have seen our product and see the cost saving benefits for their business, demand will be high.

“Battery prices are starting to move downwards as the demand for domestic PV solar systems is going down so manufacturers will try and move into storage systems for homes. This will start to lower prices a bit as the demand for batteries and storage gets higher over the next few years.

“I still think a five-year payback period on any investment is quite fair, which is the payback period we try and work with in this sector of the solar industry, without dropping our high standards in workmanship for our client as this is our

Justin says demand for reliable stand-alone systems is increasing and he is

point of difference

currently quoting on two other systems in the area.

from the competition.”

Solar Progress | 31

Solar Council delegations

Solar Council: behind the scenes Chief Executive John Grimes has been out and about promoting solar energy’s untapped potential and forging key alliances.

Queensland’s solar friendly policies THE SOLAR COUNCIL has been working closely with the Queensland Government to provide advice on implementing their Solar Plan in Queensland.

I attended a high level round table with Queensland Energy Minister Mark Bailey and we then scheduled an industry roundtable discussion where we invited members of the Energy Storage Council and the Solar Council to meet face-to-face with the Minister. During that meeting members shared their concerns over the blocks and obstacles to small scale solar, commercial solar, solar hot water, and solar and storage in Queensland.

The meeting was an enormous success all-round and the Minister thanked us for the quality input provided directly by industry representatives.

The next Queensland government consultation (pictured above) involved a wide range of stakeholders: from utilities to community groups, industry and bureaucrats, and at this meeting my presentation on small scale PV to 100 kW was received very positively.

As part of the all-inclusive process I also addressed the Queensland Conservation Council along with Minister Bailey and Greens Senator Larissa Waters who is the Co-deputy Leader of the Australian Greens. This proved to be another very positive meeting.

Meeting industry leaders in China After the enormous success of our Solar Council conference and exhibition Solar 2015, I spent some time in China visiting five cities which are home to several inverter companies and some of the world’s largest

battery and storage manufacturers including Lishen and ATL. I also had a meeting with the President of ATL. A high-level working meeting was arranged to encourage energy storage on Islands and in this regard there is real opportunity and application for the Pacific; some work is being carried out by the Chinese government to fund that project.

While in China I couldn’t help but notice the rapid growth of the vehicle battery market and there will be implications for Australia’s transport system.

My visit coincided with the China Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition – the peak energy conference run by the China Energy Storage Alliance – where I was invited to present the keynote address.

What struck me was the enormous amount of interest among the Chinese in opportunities right here in Australia for storage in micro grids, behind-the-meter small-scale domestic energy storage, off-grid energy storage and all in between.

Key allies Once back in Australia it was back to urgent local matters, and I’ve since been involved in a series of political discussions with the PM’s office and crossbench Senators Madigan, Xenophon, Wang, Lazarus and Muir, and a host of others.

We are working hard to get Labor to adopt a renewal energy target of at least 50 per cent by 2030 and believe that such a policy could be an all-embracing mix: a price on carbon, pollution laws and reverse auctions; namely a wide range of policy measures that would help achieve that outcome.

The Solar Council is also establishing a presence at the ALP’s national conference in July in Melbourne by holding a side event at which we will be further promoting the case for smart energy – solar energy.

32 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

Solar science

PV performance

CSIRO and ARENA have recently unveiled a suite of facilities aimed at better understanding the performance of solar cells and modules under Australian conditions.

The new PV Performance Laboratory at Newcastle includes NATA accredited testing of solar cells, plus calibrated flash testing of modules, and an advanced outdoor facility for characterising a solar module’s response to a host of environmental variables. Dr Chris Fell believes the new facilities will provide important information for researchers, and assurance for the local PV industry and community that is long overdue in Australia.

DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN THE PRICE of solar panels over the past five years have meant the cost of large scale solar is now competitive with coal fired power on an energy delivered basis. Many believe the last remaining hurdle for solar PV is that, like many renewable energy sources, the output varies over time in a complex way that is not trivial to predict.

Since the output of PV systems depends on the weather, time of day, time of year and location, a stable electricity supply demands a thorough understanding of these variables and how the PV module responds to them.

But stable operation on the electricity grid isn’t the only challenge created by the complex output of photovoltaics. Several important questions have complicated answers, such as: Pricing – how is the output defined? Sizing – what size system will meet the requirements for power and energy? Financing – what will the return on investment be?

Procurement – which type of solar panel best suits the site and application?

Quality – how do we know if a system is well engineered? Durability – how do we observe subtle degradation in panel performance? Maintenance – how do we detect faults in the system?

The showpiece of the CSIRO PV Performance Lab is an outdoor research facility for diagnostic analysis of up to 60 PV modules. Testing modules individually (rather than assembled into complete systems) allows CSIRO to deconstruct their output and show how it depends on the prevailing environmental variables; irradiance, temperature, solar spectrum, and solar angle.

With this information it is possible to predict the performance of a given module under an arbitrary set of environmental conditions. This brings a number of benefits for understanding large-scale PV power systems. For example, since the output of the modules can now be easily predicted, it is possible to quantify the losses that occur at the system level, e.g. cabling losses, soiling, module mismatch, maximum power point tracking, inverter losses, grid matching and downtime. We can put a number on the effectiveness of a given system design, therefore benchmarking it against other systems, regardless of where those systems are installed.

34 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

The information extracted also allows different PV modules to be compared for their real outdoor performance. As input to calculations known as energy yield models, the information allows module performance to be simulated for any site in Australia (actually anywhere in the world). CSIRO is using the facility to examine the effectiveness of these models, which ultimately underpin all commercial software packages for predicting the output of PV systems.

Tests and measures Another issue being addressed by the new laboratory is the quality of PV modules arriving on Australian shores. The facilities include a high-end indoor flash solar simulator for measuring the output of solar panels under Standard Test Conditions. This is the same measurement the manufacturers use to rate the module output power in the factory. A number of importers have already taken up this service to check they are getting what the manufacturer claims.

With flash testing, understanding measurement uncertainty is the key.

Issues such as pulse duration, light uniformity, spectral mismatch and temperature control can lead to unacceptable measurement uncertainties in many, if not most, flash testing systems. His laboratory works with the US Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), to maintain three calibrated primary reference modules. The reference modules are used to ensure the CSIRO flash test system is as accurate as it is possible to be.

Accreditation’s stamp of approval The third pillar of the PV Performance Lab is an IEC17025 accredited laboratory for measuring the efficiency of solar cells. Although approximate measurements of solar cell efficiency are quite straightforward, accurate measurements require careful compensation for errors in the light level, light spectrum and cell temperature. These corrections can be challenging to perform and require well characterised and calibrated equipment.

As a result, scientific journals and funding bodies often prefer or even require research results to have been measured by an accredited laboratory.

This is especially the case when breakthroughs in cell efficiency are being reported. Up until now, Australian researchers have had to send their valuable best devices to Europe or the USA for this type of measurement.

CSIRO’s accreditation for PV measurements was awarded by NATA in January 2015 following a two-year project to develop a quality system,

Steady path The genesis of the PV performance laboratory dates back to 2006, when CSIRO was part of an Australian consortium of scientists developing new organic solar cells. The tiny polymer‑based cells on glass substrates behaved differently to the usual silicon cells so their performance was difficult to measure properly. The group noticed that measurement practices varied considerably across the consortium, and it was difficult to tell which approaches led to the best cells.

Thus commenced a decade long search for perfection in solar cell measurements that Dr Fell says may never really be over.

In 2007 he approached the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) and determined the standard IEC 17025 would represent a stamp of approval that would show they were doing it right. What followed was eight years of trial and error, successes and failures, reading literature, talking at conferences, and the inevitable applications for funding. Postdocs and students have come and gone in that time; in all nearly a dozen people have worked on the project, and outside CSIRO at least that many again have contributed in some way.

perfect procedures, characterise measurement tools and perform a detailed analysis of measurement uncertainties. Maintaining the accreditation requires annual calibration of 18 instruments, as well as participating in several international comparison measurements each year, and many hours of internal testing and cross-checking.

CSIRO hopes the new facilities will help simplify decisions around solar for Australian consumers, improve the quality of solar products coming into the country, and assist Australian developers to make the right choices when it comes to the type and design of large scale solar systems.

More information about the facilities and services can be found at www.csiro.au\pv-performance.

The facilities described in this article were constructed with support in part from ARENA. Dr Chris Fell is a physicist with a passion for photovoltaics and has been part of the Australian PV research community since 1998. In 2005 he joined CSIRO and assembled a group that went on to develop the first large area organic solar cell in Australia. His vision is to build Australia’s premier PV measurement laboratory, fulfilling an equivalent role as key international labs like NREL, Fraunhofer-ISE and ESTI. Chris and his team are based at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle.

Solar Progress | 35

Spotlight on Taiwan

Made in Taiwan Just one decade since the ‘birth’ of solar in Taiwan, the island has developed colossal PV manufacturing capacity and gained a solid reputation along with a ready market.

Today Taiwan is home to several of the world’s top solar manufacturers whose technical expertise stems from the rich talent pool of semiconductor professionals combined with attention to detail on every level.

TAIWAN MAY BE A RELATIVELY SMALL ISLAND yet it packs a punch in the solar energy industry, boasting three of the world’s top ten solar cell manufacturers along with a raft of high volume plants supplying mono or polycrystalline silicon material, wafers, PV cells and PV modules.

The picture was somewhat different as recently as one decade ago when just 15 companies operated in the PV industry. By 2010 the number swelled to 160 on the back of the 2008 ‘financial tsunami’ which triggered Taiwan’s 2009 Renewable Energy Development Act (REDA) with a range of financial incentives and subsidies for the sector.

Today a multitude of multi-million dollar fabrication plants adorn Taiwan’s Silicon Valley-esque industrial parks. But with space at a premium large-scale labour intensive PV module production is limited so most cell makers export their products across the globe.

Why the shortage of available land? With a population nudging 24 million on an island occupying just 36,000 square kilometres – smaller than Tasmania – of which two thirds is mountains, the population is concentrated in a strip along the west coast and wrestles for space among industry, commerce and agriculture.

An inside view Solar Progress was invited to Taiwan to learn about local PV capacity and capability. Not really knowing what to expect – possibly secrecy and aloofness – we were pleasantly surprised by our hosts’ warm hospitality and willingness to share information. The tour which took in many of the world’s biggest and best solar cell manufacturers also left us in no doubt about company commitment toward product quality, efficiency gains and ambitious volume targets – and the confidence inspired by the tag ‘Made in Taiwan’. Hence the strong demand from mainland China, Japan, PanAsia, Korea, Europe, the US and Australia.

Meeting the makers Established in late 2005 Neo Solar Power’s youth belies the 100 years of collective experience in semiconductors among its top three executives

which sets the firm foundation for growth in the solar cell company ranked fifth in the world. With one plant in China and three in Taiwan, 2014 year end capacity reached 2.2 GW in cells and 480 MW in modules.

To date NSP has shipped more than 5 GW in cells to the world’s top tier manufacturers and its cells adorn the high profile National Stadium pictured below.

In 2014 Gintech (established in 2005) recorded annual capacity of 1.8 GW and by the first quarter of 2015 Gintech had clocked up 6 GW. But as President and COO Wen-whe Pan told Solar Progress, they have endured a bumpy market with the price collapse due to over capacity and now the US trade barrier created by higher tariffs*. Company executives have forged successful strategic partnerships enabling vertical integration and which accounts for the suite of progressive and innovative offerings, among them a colourful range of BIPV cells. In May 2015 Gintech announced investment in a Thailand based subsidiary for further expansion. Wen-whe Pan paid homage to Australia’s Martin Green and UNSW for “decades of outstanding advances in solar science” and remarked on the need for greater Taiwanese R&D. Gintech is the name behind the 2016 kW rooftop system over a major city railway terminal which vastly improves the look of otherwise unsightly city rail tracks. *US import duties for Taiwanese PV manufacturers will range from 11.45% to 27.55% and Chinese PV module makers will be “even more severely punished”.

Motech Industries’ recent acquisition of Top Cell places the company fourth globally. With origins in testing and measurement instruments the

Island of irony Despite the global reach and reputation of Taiwan’s PV industry, local solar energy production represents a minimal amount of the island’s energy mix which instead relies heavily on fossil fuel imports.

In 2013 power generation considered of coal (38.4%), natural gas (31.1%), nuclear (18.8%; Taiwan is home to six nuclear reactors), wind and solar (4.5%), co-generation (3.4%), oil (2.3%) and pumped-storage hydro (1.5%). The government’s long-term plan was to boost solar capacity to 4,500 MW by 2020, with 7.5 million residents using solar energy by 2030.

The serpentine shaped National Stadium of the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, Taiwan bears 141 solar panels with a capacity of 1 MW. NeoSolar Power supplied the cells.

company prides itself on its history which dates back to 1981. In 1997 the Motech Solar Division was established. Now with five plants in Taiwan, two in China and one in Delaware, US, Motech boasts a mighty capacity of 3 GW. Focus has switched from multi-crystalline cells to mono crystalline based on market demand, sustainable growth and higher prices along with greater potential for innovation. In common with all local makers Motech is mindful of the impact of more stringent US anti dumping measures which threaten export potential to one of the key world markets.

With its annual capacity of 720 MW, TSEC sits comfortably in the world’s top 20 PV companies and has successfully struck some of the highest cell conversion rates. The plant tour highlighted just how seriously TSEC takes precision and control. TSEC recently teamed up with a Russian company for R&D on ‘Heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer’ (HJT) or “Next Gen PERC”. Export sales comprise 96 per cent of business but company executives are naturally mindful of the aforementioned ‘Trade wars’. We also ventured onto the sensitive issue of Taiwan’s energy supply mix (coal imports, nuclear power).

PV Taiwan 2015: International PV Exhibition Wednesday October 14 to Friday October 16, Nangang, Taipei Taiwan’s solar industry goes on show in mid October. Organised by TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council), SEMI and TPVIA (Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry Association), the event showcases around 150 exhibitors and 435 booths and attracts around 8000 delegates from 70 countries.

This year a significant part of the program will be devoted to energy storage.

Local hotels are first rate and staff very welcoming, with a great command of English.

Taipei is an 80-minute flight from Hong Kong or about nine and a half hours direct from Sydney.

More information: www.pvtaiwan.com, www.tpvia.org.tw/index.asp, http://solarpv.itri.org.tw, http://www.taiwangreenenergy.org.tw/

Now a look at R&D. Established in 1973 the government funded Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), whose tagline is “to innovate a better future”, is collaborating with large local entities to foster a sustainable environment, smart business and a low carbon culture and exhibits many ingenious inventions designed for such purpose – products that have gained accolade the world over. ITRI has nurtured more than 260 companies, including several leading global semiconductor businesses. Within the well-resourced PV Technology Division is the module research complex which carries out exhaustive tests to guarantee robust performance.

Our visit to Big Sun left a big impression. Staff have developed The iPV™ Solar Tracker system which features a cable-drawn drive mechanism with a universal axis enabling rotating at any azimuth and a tilt angle range up to 40° for precise and optimum sun angle at all latitudes. In mid-May Big Sun Group teamed up with Swiss EPC, Graess for global distribution of the iPV™ Solar which has received worldwide patents in 37 countries. Utility scale operations in China and Japan could present the optimum application for the tracker. Established in 2006, Big Sun manufactures mono- and multi-crystalline silicon solar cells and is eyeing a target of 270 MW.

Established in 2003 Winaico was among the very first of Taiwan’s solar producers. Its most recent innovation is Heat Cap Technology which prevents dangers caused by micro cracks. The company specialises in installer relationships and in a strategy that works to mutual benefit in Australia deals with, and sells directly to, its loyal customer base. Vice President of Global Sales Sascha Rossmann illustrated the reliability of Winaico cells compared to others tested under harsh desert conditions by Desert Knowledge Australia.

Green Energy Technology is the leading manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers and a member of the 100-year-old TATUNG group.

Established in 2004 Green Energy Technology is now the world’s largest supplier of wafers, boasting three plants in Taiwan and one in China which collectively produced 660 MW in the first quarter of 2015. Multi-crystalline solar wafers with different power outputs are destined for solar cell and module manufacturers in Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, India, Europe and the United States.

Solar Progress visited Taiwan as the guest of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

VIEW

from

Two successful companies present the inside view of business dynamics Off-Grid Energy FIRST AN INTRODUCTION: Formed in 2011 by a team of experienced solar professionals, Adelaide based Off-Grid Energy specialises in off-grid and grid connected battery storage across Australia through a network of qualified partners, consultants, and installers.

Off-grid power makes up the bulk – 90 per cent – of business, but almost 10 per cent of business in 2014-15 was grid storage (“hybrid”) installations, and the segment is growing, said Off-Grid Energy Australia NSW Manager Damien Griffith.

Eight in ten off-grid installations are for residences ranging from small weekenders to large multi-dwelling stations, and the balance comprises commercial projects of varying size and complexity.

“We tailor all systems to individuals needs, we’re not a turnkey operation, every off-grid project is different – the load, roof pitch,

Installation in Adelaide Hills

United Solar Energy WITH 27 STAFF, another 13 contractors, a license system underway and variety of consumer offerings United Solar Energy Director Richard Vargas describes his fast moving business as “more about energy cost savings solutions than an outright solar power shop”.

To date the team has carried out hundreds of solar installations, predominantly household PV systems along with a number of commercial systems.

United Solar Energy is also the name behind the off-site managed solar program SolarGuard and finance package Energy Flexi Plan which

location, hybrid or other, diesel etc. But we do have our preferred set of infrastructure, three main brands and manufacturers and battery suppliers,” Damien explained “Our traditional niche market is now opening up and becoming more ‘mainstream’; and while there has been much excitement about residential storage technologies over the past 12-18 months, our sales remain steady and linked closely to new housing construction rates in particular.”

Damien added that homeowners in areas with high power bills and unreliable grids (due to infrastructure or weather events) are also responsible for growth in enquiries.

“Although grid storage makes up almost 70 per cent of our enquiries, well up on the 20 per cent of just two years ago, in the end it forms less than ten per cent of our installations. Grid storage early adopters are however growing in numbers [and] customer storage awareness and knowledge has increased noticeably over the past 18 months or so, and grid connect solar companies are also sounding better informed about battery technologies.

“We are finding that we no longer need to explain to customers how a battery storage system works during initial discussions, and can instead discuss the system complexities in more detail straight away.”

Following a series of company audits and demonstration of quality and ethical standards, United Solar Energy became ASC Solar Gold Certified. “Solar Gold is an asset, it’s a strong endorsement of our skills and has helped us grow our business as part of the complete package solution for our customers,” said Richard said who recently picked up a Word of Mouth - WOMO – award which is based on positive customer feedback.

United Solar Energy has also signed up for a local radio station community program offering one PV installation a month to a family doing it tough, and to conserve energy the package includes LEDs

provides customers with no up-front costs while demonstrating the

to replace energy-hungry halogens. USE also runs a platinum reward

savings per week and over the long-term. This guarantees the production

program for those installing a 5 kW or larger system (and who in turn

of the system so they have peace of mind.

save $9000 per annum).

Customer peace of mind is front-of-brain for savvy solar marketer

Turning to the broader market Richard said “Possibly there is too much

Richard Vargas who says “It’s taken time to create all these packages and

emphasis on government support, but there is no doubt it helps the

now we are bringing on board smaller companies and exclusive products,

PV installation industry and we want the rebate to remain in place. But

including an Australian designed inverter that comes with lots of upsides.

we don’t want to only be here – to exist as an industry – because of the

“All up it’s less risk for clients.”

38 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

subsidy.

the

ROOF TOP

Small Business Champion National Winner Off-Grid Energy: (L to R) Sean LePoidevan, Hugh Driscoll and Damien Griffith

“We are finding that we no longer need to explain to customers how a battery storage system works during initial discussions, and can instead discuss the system complexities in more detail straight away.”

Despite this growing education, there still exists a large amount of misinformation and unrealistic expectations in the market regarding emerging storage technologies and feasibility.

“What do customers want? Their focus is on economics, they want results.”

Future course Off-Grid Energy plans to remain a specialist in the solar storage market, given its unique complexities and for the time being will “resist the temptation to overextend ourselves, or to distract ourselves with other product

areas at the expense of a dependent customer base.

“We’ve had to fast track certain projects and product developments in response to the rapidly changing market.

We’ve also needed to review distribution models in the past few years in order to maintain market share.”

Damien feels “Extremely positive” about the long-term outlook for the solar energy industry and storage. “Despite the constant hurdles and the rollercoaster ride that the industry has become familiar with over the years, we all know that renewable energy opportunities can only grow and grow.

“It is inconceivable to believe that Australia will choose to remain an international pariah as international pressure grows and fossil fuels decline in relevance.”

News just in: Off-Grid Energy Australia has teamed up with Australian panel manufacturer Tindo Solar to provide infrastructure that will enable CASAR Park, a motorsport precinct planned for the NSW Central Coast, to run independent of mains power.

CASAR Park is also pioneering electric vehicle racing in Australia, so the mini-grid being designed by OffGrid Energy will need to be capable of recharging high performance EVs. The anticipated payback period is less than four years.

How do you view the current market, and what is your vision of the future? Perhaps you could share your views or showcase one of your significant solar installations. We’d love to hear from installers right across Australia.

Please email editor@solar.org.au

Pictured at right: Co-owner Sean LePoidevan in the national warehouse

“Customers tell us their biggest fear about taking the leap to solar energy is they are not confident they will be looked after if the subsides go and industry slows and companies fold,” said Richard who has seen some big companies close their doors.

And in terms of trends, he believes consumers are now much more tuned into their energy consumption, also “Storage is definitely a conversation we are having with customers, up to eight in ten are interested but they can’t yet see the real benefits. For most it’s not yet financially viable and battery life is limited but these dynamics will change over time as more suppliers enter the market and production ramps up.

“And yes there will be a big push, much greater momentum toward energy storage in the coming years starting from as early as next year.“ www.unitedsolarenergy.wcom.au

United Solar Energy installed a 10 kW system that slashed the customer’s quarterly power bill from $1800 to $180

Solar Progress | 39

In my view ...

Margaret Blakers, Director, The Green Institute “AEMO is past its used by date and should be abolished.

Electricity law should be an Act of Parliament, one that is subject to debate and enable people and the country to make decisions on energy matters with full regard to the environment and safety and the future.”

Andrew Blakers, Director Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, Australian National University

Anna Skarbek, Executive Director, ClimateWorks Australia “Two degrees Celsius would produce big [catastrophic] impacts. Our modeling show that containment is achievable, we can produce a near net zero carbon economy by mid-century through a four step pathway.

“The Australian economy could move to zero emissions and maintain economic growth. Solar can play a significant role.”

Tony Douglas, Director, Essential Media Communications

Outlining the path to 100% renewables by 2040 by adding 1.9 GW of solar PV and 1.9 GW of wind power capacity a year...

“PV and wind could do the whole lot fairly easily … renewables are on track to push fossils fuels and nuclear out of the picture within the next ten to fifteen years. “[As energy sources] solar and wind are unconstrained on any practical measure. And war would never break out over solar.“

Fiona O’Hehir, Chief Executive Officer, Greenbank Environmental “Among other things Councils are responsible for risk management, environmental care and mitigation.

The effects of climate change need to be taken into consideration … a simple fuel switch takes them from fossil fuels to renewables.”

Senator Christine Milne, Australian Greens “It is not coal, but solar and distributed energy which are good for humanity. That will lift the world out of energy poverty. The National Energy Market needs radical change – that is the challenge, that is what must be smashed. Part of their role is to innovate and if they accepted greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced that could everything. The $45 billion spent on poles and wires since 2010 could have built the NBN.” 40 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

“In the Essential Media Poll on who was least trusted the utilities came bottom of the list, with just 10% trusting them.

“The cost of living tops voters’ concerns. They also feel disempowered. It is in their interests to vote for [political parties that support] their self-interests and this industry – solar and renewables – can greatly influence numbers.

“If government sees a shift in voter needs and intent they change their policies.”

Hon Lily D’Ambrosio, Victorian Minister for Industry, Energy and Resources “The Victorian government is committed to the renewable energy vision and wants to facilitate solar energy and the technology that goes with it … the clean energy vision underpins the future economy.

“Good energy policy is forward thinking.”

Hugh Bromley, Associate, Bloomberg New Energy Finance “Australia boasts the world’s cheapest costs for rooftop solar based on income levels, months of savings, and percentage of property value.”

Including

Presented by

Innovation

Australian made inverter

Sunvertec’s Kevin (with son Alex in background) introduces his compact distributed inverter Xenos to a large assembly at Solar 2015.

The Australian invented compact Xenos inverter has captured great interest through a smart promotional strategy.

FIVE YEARS AGO scientist and engineer Kevin Davies put the wheels in motion to develop a new class of ‘distributed’ inverter. Distributed inverters are series connected ‘partial inverters’ that each contribute just a part or portion of the mains waveform – giving the system its distributed name and distinguishing it from parallel connected micro inverters. Family talent helped fast track developments, with Kevin’s eldest son Alexander, a skilled computer programmer, quickly catching on to the concept and co-developing the software that underpins the processes. “A no insignificant matter that saved me years of effort,” said Kevin whose vision has materialised and captured great interest.

Known as Xenos and described as a “world first Australian owned and engineered distributed inverter with unmatched advances and more compact than any other inverter on the market”, the fledgling entrant combines the advantages of string and micro inverters to convert power for solar PV and energy storage applications.

The prototype comes complete with a rooftop isolator, information gateway and mains interface which combine with easy solar panel corner mounting to make an “agnostic” inverter that can feed power into or take power from the grid. The compact inverter is set to pack a punch by breaking the 99 per cent efficiency barrier.

A carefully considered promotion strategy led the Sunvertec team to Solar 2015 where a presentation to a packed out assembly followed by day-long demonstrations of the technology’s potential to a clued up audience reaped dividends by whipping up a storm of interest.

“Solar 2015 was a total game changer for us, we really did reach the masses. In the weeks since the show we have been overwhelmed by registrations of interest and queries from interested people who are potential business partners,” Kevin told Solar Progress.

“The degree to which the renewables sector was keen to support innovative clean energy systems and more particularly our system and plans

to make it widely accessible totally exceeded our wildest expectations.”

The plans include manufacturing at home base in Perth and securing partners for mass production. But before that, Sunvertec needed to showcase the potential of Xenos and gauge levels of interest among the target market.

“The response was so great we are setting about installing a pilot plant already” said Kevin. The Sunvertec team is now fast tracking processes: leasing property for a pilot plant of 50 to 100 MW per annum, visiting and working with partners in China, staging a real-life demonstration and lodging patents.

Manufacturing interest A demonstration to show the efficiency and quality of waveform and subsequent auction for vastly increased production capacity is set for spring 2015.

The auction, based on ‘An Efficient Ascending-Bid Auction for Multiple Objects’ is changed to increase capacity as bid prices increase. This variation prevents auction winning bidders from gazumping down the track, with all bidders able to access aggregated bids and available production capacity as the auction price increases.

“We are breaking new ground in many ways including being the first Australian inverter manufacturer,” Kevin said.

It may be early days yet but the Sunvertec team has an eye on the main game: to ramp up production and reduce manufacturing costs, slashing the price of module level power conversion to just US$0.10/W by 2020 – a fraction of current costs.

Clean jump

“The degree to which the renewables sector was keen to support innovative clean energy systems and more particularly our system and plans to make it widely accessible totally exceeded our wildest expectations.”

42 | ISSUE 2 • 2015

We asked Kevin, who spent 15 years designing and manufacturing for the mining industry, what prompted his move to renewables. Turns out that as a mature student at UWA, his studies covered the bleak picture posed by climate change, and a niggling thought stayed in the back of his mind for 20 years.

“I questioned myself as to whether there was a better way to do things, an alternative to mining finite resources which produce greenhouse gasses,“ said the father of six.

Turning his efforts to renewables he forged new directions, and Kevin hopes his innovative inverter will “redefine the market by seriously bringing down the price of power conversion in Australia and throughout the world”.

And cut emissions. www.sunvertec.com

Join the Australian Solar Council The Australian Solar Council is the leading advocate for the Solar Industry in Australia and presents updates, seminars and industry information for members. The Solar Council also acts as a spring board for members to lift their exposure through promotion and foster partnerships with other industry professionals.

Your Solar Council Membership will: • Help you sell more solar • Offer professional development training to help you stay compliant

Training and Tools Solar Essentials Small Business and Corporate membership package now includes free access to the Solar Essentials Training package.

This training program is delivered to provide a body of knowledge that is considered essential for solar installers and other people working in the solar industry. Content is delivered online so that it can be studied anytime, anywhere (40 CPD points).

Solar Gold

• Keep you informed about the latest technology

Become a Solar Council recommended installer and give your business a leading edge.

• Offer you hands-on training in PV and storage • Give you a respected voice at government level to advocate for the success of your industry.

Best practice training and due diligence certification (55 CPD points). www.solargold.com.au

Membership • Individual Membership (Senior and Student $55)

$110

• Small Business Membership

$330

• Bronze Membership

$990

• Silver Membership

$1980

• Gold Membership

$4950

• Diamond Membership For full details visit

$10,000

www.solar.org.au

Positive Quality™ The ‘Heart Tick’ for the Solar Industry The Solar Council conducts comprehensive and ongoing inspections on participating solar PV panel manufacturers. The Positive Quality symbol is a quick way you can see if a solar panel has been manufactured to the highest standards.

Find out more at www.positivequality.com.au or contact joanna@solar.org.au

SolarPlus Design and Sales Made Easy SolarPlus is an on-line business management solution for all solar PV sales or installation companies.

The range of features now includes CRM, design and layout, documentation, compliance and proposal. Try it today. www.solarplus.org.au

CONTACT

Joanna Joustra I Business Development Manager I +61 0 402 938 401 I joanna@solar.org.au

www.solar.org.au

Solar products services

CO2markets: The ultimate solar deal for installers The solar industry is experiencing a serious shake-up, however, this time it is one that is positive for solar installers all over the country.

CO2markets, one of Australia’s prominent environmental certificate traders, has partnered with key manufacturers in the solar industry. They have come together to bring a special offer to the market, wherein installers who trade their STCs with CO2markets will unlock “never-before-seen” pricing on solar products via CO2direct, their online purchasing platform.

“We wanted to take steps in protecting the backbone of the Australian solar industry,” said Adam Pearse, Chief Executive Officer of CO2markets.

“These deals represent high quality product, for what we believe is an excellent price in the industry.”

Australian solar companies will have the opportunity to “double-dip” in terms of savings, as CO2markets also offers a Price Beat Guarantee – beating any higher confirmed unregistered STC price by a further ten cents per certificate. “There is an opportunity to secure a good price for STCs, while stocking up on quality solar products,” Adam Pearse said.

The pricing is anticipated to spike demand, and interested parties should contact CO2markets now to get on board. As consumers are fast becoming savvy about solar products and services, the requirement for well-known brands with a reputation for reliability and quality is paramount.

Purchase online at www.co2direct.com.au, or contact Marshall Burrowes at CO2markets for more information: 0427 373 873 info@co2markets.com.au www.co2markets.com.au

SOLAR PROGRESS ADVERTISERS’ SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

ASM Money: Federal Budget impact on renewable energy finance “With the small business tax breaks [announced in the federal budget], there has never been a better time to buy solar.” John Grimes, Australian Solar Council.

With the new tax incentives announced in the Federal Government Budget, the expectation is most businesses will rush out and buy a new car or computer.

Coffee machines, Art collectables and table tennis tables have all been mentioned.

Perhaps a new car or replacement fork lift.

There are many ways to spend the money.

The best investment a small business can make, however, is a renewable energy project. And if you are a solar company selling to business it is important you and your sales team understand the vital role finance can play in a successful sales campaign.

There is no need for a business to have a lazy $20,000 in their bank account just waiting to be spent. For no deposit a business can have access to the incentives offered by the Federal Government immediately and install one of the few assets which reduces the cost of doing business.

Next year, as battery technology becomes more affordable, another no-deposit investment could generate similar returns again. Here are the numbers: *Solar asset is based on $1.47 per Watt and savings assume unit kWh cost is $0.28 with no increase in electricity prices for 25 years and average annual production of a 15 kW system over 12 months in zone 3. Actual repayments and production may vary. Subject to credit criteria.

Any business with an active ABN trading for more than two years with a good credit history may qualify for $20,000 without financials and no requirement for asset backing even for leased premises.

Window of opportunity: Between now and 30 June 2017 there is a major opportunity for every solar business in the commercial market to close sales. No cash down – savings on electricity – tax savings – GST benefit.

Contact your local ASM Money representative to talk about the potential today. 1300 080 163, 0419 235 00, enquiry@asmmoney.com.au, www.asmmoney.com.au

Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the Australian Solar Council

Solar Progress | 45

Solar Council Corporate Members For full listing of Solar Council Corporate Members see www.solar.org.au

Diamond Members Greenbank Environmental

Hareon Solar Technology Co, Ltd

CO2 Markets

Silver Corporate Members Alternergy Power Systems Australia Pty Ltd

R F Industries Pty Ltd

BYD Europe B.V.

ReneSola

DKSH Australia Pty Ltd

Rheem Australia

Electroy Solar

Gold Corporate Members ABB Pty Ltd

Shanghai JA Solar PV Technology Co Ltd

Solar Depot Pty Ltd

Enphase Energy Inc ®

Solar Freedom Australia Pty Ltd

EnviroGroup

Green Energy Trading

Apricus Australia Pty Ltd

Solari Energy Pty Ltd

HID Europe

Australian Ethical Investments

Go Energy

Risen Energy (Australia) Pty Ltd

Solargain PV Pty Ltd

Solar World WA

Suntech

Trina Solar (Australia) Pty Ltd

Infinity Solar SOLIMPEKS L&H Solar + Solutions

SunEdison

LG Electronics Australia Pty Ltd

SunPower Corporation Australia

MaxiSolar Pty Ltd

True Value Solar

Yingli Green Energy Australia Pty Ltd

Stage a presence in Solar Progress Solar Progress is the flagship publication of the Australian Solar Council.

Delving into cutting-edge developments from the nano-scale to big solar, and industry solar advocacy to commentary and all in between, the magazine is created by and for the solar community. It is your industry magazine.

A snapshot of Solar Progress: • Four issues a year • Circulated to 5000 solar specialists across Australia • Read by up to 18,000 industry devotees Solar Progress is circulated to manufacturers, distributors, installers, designers, project managers, politicians, engineers, consultants, and the increasingly aware consumer. Firmly positioned on the radar of the entire solar community, Solar Progress is the ideal vehicle in which to promote your company service or product.

Branding boost Solar Progress Online – extend the reach of your marketing budget.

Companies signing up now for a full-page advert in Solar Progress will enjoy the benefit of a free online ad in Solar Progress Online, the Solar Council’s news and industry section of www.solar.org.au. Your online ad will make your marketing dollar go further with increased visibility and links directly to your website. With online exposure at 16,000 page views/month, this is an opportunity not to be missed!

To participate, contact Solar Council Business Development Manager, Joanna Joustra on 0402 938 401 or email Joanna@solar.org.au

Joanna Joustra is your contact for advertising in Solar Progress, now syndicated with the Solar Council website. With previous leadership positions within the publishing and events industries Joanna has a proven record of establishing highly effective relationships that support growth initiatives. Joanna lives in a solar powered home in an off grid co-operative.

Solar Heroes The Solar Council would like to acknowledge these prominent supporters whose generous donations have contributed to the strength of the Save Solar campaign in 2015.

Visit www.savesolar.com.au to find out more and see the feature on page 12.

Unsavory Dish: victim of RET Review THE IMAGES ABOVE AND BELOW paint a sad picture for solar; a pioneering plant that was destined for great things but for the time being sits idle. Many will recognise this as the Solar Systems’ 40-dish, 1.5 megawatt demonstration facility at Carwarp near Mildura that came online back in June 2013.

Today all the heliostats at the demonstration plant have been painted over with lime and rendered dormant for the foreseeable future.

The plant was designed as a forerunner to a 100 MW Solar Concentrator Power Station, which was expected to be completed in 2017 but was instead mothballed in August 2014 due to low wholesale electricity prices, the Coalition’s lack of commitment toward clean energy and – you guessed it – uncertainty driven by the RET Review.

The sorry status of the demo plant was discovered almost by accident by Danny (who was connected with the build) when he was driving in the region and decided to take a detour to view the plant in its full glory. Instead he found a field full of decommissioned dishes that presents a ghostly atmosphere.

“As a former employee of Solar Systems who worked of this CPV Dish development program, I was greatly saddened by this sight,” he told Solar Progress.

“My understanding is that Silex, the Solar Systems parent company, shut it down not long after Easter due to the ‘economics’ of running the plant coupled with low wholesale electricity prices.

“It’s a sad indictment of Australia’s solar landscape that a solar power generation plant, capable of producing enough renewable electricity to power 500 average-sized homes, can simply be switched off,” he commented. “Surely there’s a way that the power from this plant could be kept flowing.”

It is understood that Silex is seeking a buyer for its Solar Systems business which it acquired in 2010. Solar Systems was an early industry player, arguably ahead of its time, but went into administration following the 2008 financial crisis. Many of its executives remain in the industry and are driving technical innovation and commercialisation here and overseas.

SAVE MONEY. SAVE SOLAR.

/ Perfect Welding / Solar Energy / Perfect Charging

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