Yuneska Harris – Engineering Manager – Clenergy

Yuneska Harris has contributed to over 800 PV rooftop and ground mounting solar installations, including the largest solar farm installed in an Australian airport. She has been working at Clenergy for the last 5 years, her background is cross-disciplinary, including project management and structural & geotechnical design. She is a qualified civil engineer and today she manages the engineering department at Clenergy

AS 1170.2:2021 updates and its impact in the design of solar installation

There are some significant changes to PV mounting systems design since the introduction of solar panels and these changes can impact on budget and installation times of all new PV installations. An understanding of these changes will help installers to keep on top of best practice.

Attend this session to understand how new standards are going to affect PV design. Need a generic PV mounting certifications or Site-specific certificates? Learn to identify key paramenters to define if your project needs a site specific certificate.

Ryan Wood – Partner Development Manager – Evergen

With a Bachelor of Biotechnology from the University of Newcastle, Ryan is focused on solving global issues facing the planet. Since 2018, Ryan has been an integral part in the development of Evergen, a software company enabling the renewable energy transition.

Now, working in Partner Development, Ryan’s role is to break new frontiers in how Evergen’s technology can be leveraged and accessed globally. This includes working on enterprise deals and educating potential industry partners and collaborators.

Coupled with a background in managing customer service, in particular, leading a team of Energy Advisors at Evergen, Ryan is an experienced speaker and educator for the solar and battery installer community, having delivered hundreds of presentations and webinars on the energy transition and how technology like Evergen’s, can increase paybacks and system installations.

Ryan is a creative and high energy member of the Evergen team. He is passionate about the ocean, nature and adventure, often combining the three with his love for photography and film.

Virtual Power Plants (VPP) explained

VPP can be an excellent sales tool for installers. For customers to get the best return on their battery investment it’s worthwhile to look at VPPs. In this session you will understand at a high-level what a VPP is and how this differs to BtM optimisation, who is able to operate a VPP and how they can vary in their operation. You will hear about consumer insights and benefits, what you need to participate in a VPP and how you as an installer can become involved.

Justin Skaines, Belec&BlecEng (Hons)., Energy Storage Manager,  R & J Batteries

Justin has been working in the battery industry for 22 years. Specialising in the renewable energy sector since 2006. He has held a design and installation accreditation which is currently deferred. Working full-time with R & J Batteries heading up the Renewable Energy division with a specific interest in the BAE product from Berlin Germany.

Karolina Biernacka – Business Development Manager – Nation Energie

Karolina Biernacka has a PhD in Sodium-ion Batteries from Deakin University. After graduation she entered the Energy Storage industry to continue her passion for innovation and sustainability. Karolina is currently Business Development Manager for Nation Energie, a company established in 2021 as a joint venture between ICM Investments and UK-based sodium-ion leaders Faradion. Nation Energie are the first in the world to bring to market a commercial sodium-ion product.

Karolina has a genuine interest in and commitment to working within the energy sector and to contribute to the Australian innovation ecosystem – by discovering new energy storage technologies and commercializing this science through delivering product to market. Previously, she co-founded ‘ElevenStore’, a concept start-up based on the implementation of sodium batteries for mobility applications and cheap, affordable transportation, such as buses, scooters, electric bikes and auto-rickshaws in South East Asia. Awarded first prize in the Southeast Asia & Oceania ClimateLaunchPad competition and named a finalist in The 2020 Australian Women’s Weekly Women of the Future Awards.

First in Australia – Nation Energie Sodium-Ion Batteries

Nation Energie are the first in the world to bring to market a commercial sodium-ion product. In this session find out who they are and details about their product from battery characteristics and specifications to cycle life, charge and discharge profiles, their sustainability and costs and see a demo product on the floor.

Clean Energy Council – Member of the CEC Technical Service Team

Various members of the CEC Technical Service Team will present this session.

The solar bible – understanding AS/NZS 5033:2021

The year 2022 has seen a lot of changes in standards with more to come, requiring installers to constantly update their knowledge and change/modify their way in installing a solar system. From approved products to wiring to design and structures installers are bombarded with changes. This session will deal with a range of issues faced by installers.

Craig Hunter,  Product Manager, PowerPlus Energy

A Renewable Energy Professional with 24 years Solar and Battery Storage experience, he has an enjoyment for learning and strives to have sound knowledge of products, applications and market dynamics. Craig has demonstrated expertise in Battery Storage, Management, Business Development and Sales, with strong skills in developing an maintaining relationships. He is a firm believer in making choices that will benefit long term sustainable outcomes, reducing living costs and impacts on the environments around us.

AS5139 – A closer look at some requirements

Even seasoned battery installers sometimes come across some queries. This session is designed to answer some of the most asked questions. What is DVC, how to calculate and how it effects your installation. Habitable rooms is a grey area, often causing installers to question if it is considered to be an inhabited room or not. How to determine which kind of pre-essembled battery system you are dealing with, section 5 or section 6?

Brian England – Managing Director – Self Sufficiency Supplies

Brian has been selling and installing solar since 1976 when the industry was in itʼs infancy. Co-founder of ATRAA in 1979 and involved in industry representation through itʼs various incarnations of SEIAA (Solar Energy Industry Association of Australia), BCSE (Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy) and CEC (Clean Energy Council). Currently National Chairman of SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association).   Through the 70ʼs and early 80ʼs he worked with the Lead Association of Australia and then with the CSIRO to develop battery specifications specific to the solar industry. Started a business in the 80ʻs designing, manufacturing, retailing and wholesaling battery chargers, inverter/chargers and solar charge controllers which finished as a joint venture in China.

A Casestudy – Troubleshooting Hybrid installations

Finding technical solutions to a range of site issues when installing batteries for grid connected systems. Once in a while even seasoned installers will hit a road block. This session will show how identifying customer needs for battery storage will assist to provide appropriate equipment for a whole house supply vs essential load back up. Hear about identifying solutions for systems on sub mains and for essential loads on sub mains.

Chris Martell – Managing Director – GSES

Prior to joining the team at GSES, Chris received his BSME from Northeastern University in Boston, USA in 2006.  Chris spent the following four years as a systems engineer in the long range radar division of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.  In 2010, Chris made the transition to PV and Renewables and earned his Master’s of Science in Photovoltaic Engineering from the University of New South Wales.  After graduating, Chris spent a year as the lead engineer for a residential PV installer in Sydney.  For the past years, Chris had worked as the Senior Engineer for a large Commercial PV installer and earned the 2013 Clean Energy Council award for best system design over 100kW. Since coming to GSES, Chris has lead multiple projects ranging from large grid connect and stand alone PV design to the training of international power companies and today is the Managing Director of GSES, a renewable energy training and consulting business which has been operating in Australia and overseas for 25 years.

EV Charging Essentials

The session will provide an overview of EV Charging Systems including electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), enabling infrastructure and required software.  This session is for installers that are seeking to understand how EV charging can fit with their existing service offering.

It will also provide those who are already installing EV charging systems with a broad base of knowledge allowing them to better communicate with customers, equipment suppliers and software network operators.  Finally, in the session it will explain how EV charging is integral with smart energy systems and dovetails well with PV and BESS.

Ergon – Essential Energy – SA Power Network – WA Western Power

This session is designed for utilities and installers to open a two way communication. Utilities will update installers on what is happening for their networks and installers will be able to ask questions in regards to installations ie asking for feedback from audits, main switch sizing in regional areas and more.

Solar Installers- Your Conference, your forum, your say

What is happening in our industry? This is your opportunity to tell us your needs, your likes, your discontentment.

What are your experiences in the industry, what actions do you think need to be taken, what improvements for a better and safer solar industry can be made?

Update on last year’s forum topics.