Page 204 - ISES SWC50

Richard Potter
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1983
Company first worked for: ARCO Solar
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: No

Rick first developed an interest in solar energy during the oil crisis of the early 1970s and by 1975 was at Melbourne
University studying science with an eye on the future. He went on to a Masters and PhD at Colorado State University
in solid state Physics focussing on semiconductor materials for PV solar cells and after graduating in 1983 joined
ARCO Solar in Los Angeles. Rick worked in Research and Development leading a group developing CuInSe2 based
cells with world leading efficiency. Rick returned to Australia in 1987. Work colleagues remarked that Rick was a
rare mix of scientist and practical hands-on. He joined Elante P/L, a shareholder in Solar Cells Australia, a “ModCo”
based in Perth. Through the late 80s and 90s he and Graham Leggo (one of Elante’s owners) designed and installed
small solar and wind power systems around Victoria. In 1994 Rick Elante merged with Solar Charge in Brighton,
working with John Paton who had started the business in the early 1970s. Rick offered some input to Ray Prowse
as he developed the first SEIAA Accreditation course and along with around a dozen others, attended the first
course at Bega in 1993, which has evolved into the CEC Installer Accreditation. In 1992 Rick had joined the National
Executive of the Solar Energy Industry Association of Australia and then the EL42 Standard Committee in 1996
as they worked to develop the first Australian Standards for renewable energy generation. Rick went on to design
and install one of the very early privately owned grid-connected residential PV systems in Victoria in 1998. It took
many months to get the electricity company United Energy to agree that it was not going to affect their grid quality.
In 2001 Rick purchased the Solar Charge business from John Paton and built the business as interest in solar
power for domestic homes in Melbourne grew. During this period Rick applied his knowledge to the design and
construction of a solar efficient home for his family that won the 2008 National HIA Greensmart award. The house
was a regular feature of the Sustainable House Day event for 8 years. In 2016 Solar Charge was sold and Rick
briefly contracted to GSES delivering SHW and PV courses in Africa and the Pacific.

Ray Prowse

Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1983
Company first worked for: Industry Association
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: No

Ray Prowse started working in 1983 in his own building business concentrating on energy efficient building design
and solar water heating systems. His high point was the installation of an active solar central heating system
on his own house in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, centrally heating a 210 sq m house for the price of running
two 30 W circulating pumps. After working with Energy Victoria from 1989 as an education officer and energy
advisor he started with the Solar Energy Industries Association of Australia (SEIAA) in the early 1990s as executive
officer responsible for the development of standards, training and accreditation. Once courses were set up he
travelled Australia presenting training courses to industry participants. He also managed the national office of
SEIAA, represented the industry in various government fora and represented the industry on Standards Australia
committees. The accreditation scheme formed the basis of industry accreditation now managed by the Clean Energy
Council. Ray also spent several years managing and presenting the Certificate IV in Renewable Energy Technology
at Chisholm TAFE in Frankston. Ray moved to Canberra in 2000 to follow SEIAA’s national office. SEIAA merged to
form the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, which went on the form the basis of the Clean Energy Council.
Ray left SEIAA / BCSE when the office moved back to Melbourne and he took a position as Centre Manager at the
Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems at the Australian National University. After 6 years at the ANU he took a
position with the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Various roles ensued, culminating in a
position with the National Solar Schools Program, which administered grants for government and non-government
schools to install photovoltaic systems and other energy efficiency measures within schools. Ray retired from the
public service in early 2016, moved back to Victoria and nowadays uses his woodworking skills to make products
to sell at local markets and on-line.

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