Page 128 - ISES SWC50

Stephen Ingrouille
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1978
Company first worked for: Going Solar
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: No

In 1976, Stephen Ingrouille called a public meeting in Carlton, Melbourne, which led to the establishment of a
community group called the Alternative Technology Co-operative (later named Renew). The goals, in promoting
renewable energy, were to establish a newsletter, a magazine, a radio program, a workshop and a retail outlet. All
of these goals were achieved, with the retail outlet becoming a private business. Going Solar started in 1978 and
in 1979 was one of the four founding members of the Appropriate Technology Retailers Association of Australia
(ATRAA). By the early 1980s Going Solar had become a leading wholesaler in Victoria, helping to establish the PV
industry with dealer training nights, mentoring, advocacy, and through promoting industry awards for ‘best practice’.
Stephen also taught Solar Hot Water (Certificate IV) at three TAFE colleges and tutored on renewables with the
Council of Adult Education for over 10 years. In 1998 Going Solar, with the assistance of the dealer network, held a
Stainable Living Fair at Musk in Central Victoria. This led to the establishment of the Sustainable Living Foundation
and the Sustainable Living Festivals. In August 2006 Stephen won the Melbourne Award which recognised thirty
years of ‘Contribution to Environment’. With changes in the PV industry Going Solar returned to retail, focusing
on PV and Solar Hot Water. In February 2020, after almost 42 years at the helm, Stephen retired when Going
Solar was sold to one of their contract installers. Renew, the Sustainable Living Foundation, the Sustainable Living
Festivals and Going Solar Pty Ltd all continue to this day.

Josef Jenni

Country: Switzerland
Year joined industry: 1976
Company first worked for: Jenni-Sonnenenergie-Steuerungen (Jenni
solar energy management)
Technology area: Solar Thermal
Still active in the industry: Yes

Josef Jenni is founder and CEO of Jenni Energietechnik AG, a company with a 44 year history in RE. In 1975,
he built his first solar collector and installed it on the roof of his parent’s house. A year later he founded Jenni-
Sonnen-Steuerungen (Jenni Solar Controls) after completing a degree in electrical engineering. 1978 he founded
Jenni Energietechnik AG with four employees which focused on manufacturing steel tanks «Swiss Solartank» for
storing hot water generated by RE such as solar and wood. Around 30 000 tanks with volumes ranging from 500
to 200 000 litres have been manufactured ever since. Josef Jenni achieved worldwide attention with the first 100%
solar heated house built in 1989. In the meantime, this so-called concept of a solar house (a house that covers at
least 50% of its heating and warm water demand with solar energy) has been copied over 2000 times (most often
in Germany). In 2007 Jenni Energietechnik built the first 100% solar heated 8 family home on its premises. The
company offers consulting to end customer for renovation of heating systems and in this context sells renewable
heating systems that can be combined with the Swiss Solartank. He lives a very modest life privately and has
been an activist for renewable energies and the environment all his life. From early on, he saw solar energy as a
viable alternative. In 1973, as a young student, he started a popular initiative that asked for 12 car-free Sundays.
In an attempt to push the solar industry out of a slump, he came up with the idea of the Tour de Sol, a solar vehicle
race that ended up being carried out annually from 1985 to 1993. From 2006 to 2012, Josef Jenni was active as a
representative in the government of the canton of Bern. He focused his terms of office on energy and environment
related issues.

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