Page 188 - ISES SWC50

James Duffy
Country: United States
Year joined industry: 1980
Company first worked for: Total Environmental Action
Technology area: Solar Architecture/Buildings
Still active in the industry: No

In 1980 James Duffy was fortunate to discover a company that occupied a small little village in the woods of
New Hampshire-Total Environmental Action(TEA). TEA had recently formed as a solar design firm led by Bruce
Anderson, and a group of new age hipsters of sorts and was very committed and passionate about solar technology
and where it could all lead us to in the future of energy consumption. They had seen the beginnings of gas lines
and rising prices that was only going to become more problematic over time and felt the tug of war waging in the
White House, when Jimmy Carter left the White House and Ronald Reagan removed the solar panels previously
installed. TEA was very concerned in the lack of interest in anything solar and that it would not be investigated
and promoted as a partial solution to our energy dilemma, as oil is by nature a finite solution. They were at that
time very committed to the idea that using solar energy was not only a valid thought, but, that it would help solve
many future issues, such as climate change. It is quite disappointing to James that we are still struggling with these
same issues that now are showing the impact of global warming -that are at this very moment ravaging the State
of California. James’ realizes that this message may not be desirable in the context of this submission, but it is all
really the same part of the same story. Energy, Global Warming, Food production all rely on the interworking’s of
all of these systems.

Max Enfield
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1989
Company first worked for: Planetary Power
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: Yes

Max Enfield’s start in the renewable energy industry was in October 1989 when he co-founded Planetary Power,
a small business, specialising in remote area power supplies and operating mostly on the Atherton Tableland in Far
North Queensland. In those days, installations were exclusively off-grid. He held the position of Technical Director
for 20 years until 2009. During this time he was responsible for site and load assessment, specification, design,
project management, installation supervision and ongoing customer support of over 300 remote area power supply
installations. While most of the sites were for single dwellings; applications also included systems for multiple
dwellings, aboriginal communities and outstations, telecommunications sites, water pumping and community
facilities. He had, and retains, a particular interest in the assessment and design of low head micro-hydro in addition
to PV. Then in 2009, he established his own business, Boutique Power, which he continues to operate. His focus
remains in the assessment, specification, design, project management, installation and ongoing support of off-grid
solar systems, spanning, residential, community and resort power supplies and solar powered water pumping.
Current areas of operation are mostly in Far North Queensland, including Cape York Peninsular, Torres Strait and
also on Norfolk Island. He has also undertaken assignments in Fiji and Pakistan. Max is currently Chairman of the
Queensland Chapter of Solar Energy Industries Association Inc. and has previously served on the Australian Clean
Energy Council Accredited Installer Reference Group.

170 | ISES SWC50 - The Century of Solar-Stories and Visions