Page 209 - ISES SWC50

Cesare Silvi ISES President 1999-2001
Country: Italy
Year joined industry: 198
Company first worked for: Directorate, Nuclear Safety and
Radioactive Protection
Technology area: Nuclear, solar - technologies, safety, policies
and history
Still active in the industry: Yes

Cesare Silvi holds degrees in mechanical engineering and nuclear engineering, commencing work as an engineer
in the early 1970s. In 1973, he top-scored an entrance test for the Directorate, Nuclear Safety and Radioactive
Protection; in 1975, the directorate tasked him to examine and analyse threats to nuclear power plants from the
outside environment. In 1981, Silvi shifted to nuclear disarmament with the Agency for Promotion of European
Research; in 1991-2, he was part of a NATO delegation sent to Moscow to inventory atomic supplies throughout
Russia. 1981 - 1996 Cesare worked in the International Affairs Department of ENEA (New Technologies, Energy
and the Environment), dealing with bilateral collaborations with developing countries, Eastern Europe and the
former USSR. 1996 - 1998 he was Director of Italian Agency for the Promotion of European Research. ISES
Vice President 1977-1999 and President 1999-2001, Cesare promoted increasing attention in the history, art
and culture of solar energy and supported the ISES 2000 Initiatives. He was made a Fellow of ISES in 2019.
Cesare published many technical reports and articles on the safety of large high-risk industrial and energy plants,
international collaborations in scientific and technological fields, nuclear disarmament, energy policies, renewable
technologies, environmental protection. He coordinated the organization of solar art exhibitions held in Rome at the
Mercati di Traiano in 1992 (Secrets of the Sun) and in 2000 (New Light on Rome). In 1994, he founded the ISES
ITALIA newsletter IlSolea369gradi. In 1999, Cesare co-founded the Group for the History of Solar Energy, whose
goal is to understand how man has used solar energy for millennia to instruct its use in the future. Cesare now has
many publications on the history of solar, including History and Future of Renewable Solar Energy (2008) and The
Use of Solar Energy in Human Activities Throughout the Centuries (2010).

David Skelton
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1986
Company first worked for: BP Solar
Technology area: PV
Still active in the industry: Yes

David Skelton completed his degree in Electrical Engineering at NSWIT in 1984 following a 6 year cadetship with
Wormald International then Started with BP Solar in 1986 as a Sales Engineer at the Brookvale factory working
under Tim Ind. He developed two new products for BP Solar - the teak framed MSR (Marine self Regulating) marine
solar modules and the floating solar pump. In 1988 David was seconded to BP South Africa in Johannesburg for
6 months to assist with startup of a BP Solar presence there. On return from S.A. he travelled with BP Solar to
assist with operations in Sri-Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, PNG, Fiji and New Zealand. He also worked as the project
engineer on telemetry and navigational aid power supply systems for offshore oilfield/ and gas pipeline projects
such as Roller/Skate, Santos and Mount Newman Mining. Around 1992 David was seconded for 6 months to
Rockhampton to assist establishing a solar presence in BP Solar’s newly acquired business in Rockhampton, Aqua
Industrial. On return from Rockhampton he relocated to Coffs Harbour to assist with the establishment of a retail
outlet, BP Solar Coffs Harbour where he worked as sales engineer under the manager, Barry Greenwood. In 1998
David became manager of BP Solar Coffs Harbour where they sold, apart from solar power systems (off-grid only
at that time) solar hot water, pumping and irrigation equipment, wood heaters, electric fencing etc. In 2000 BP Solar
decided to sell its retail outlets in Coffs, Dubbo, Rockhampton and Darwin. Coffs Harbour was sold to Ashley Graetz
- who had previously worked for many years at the Darwin branch. When the Coffs Harbour business was sold he
decided to go out on his own doing PV solar systems only so David started his own business, North Coast Power
Systems. He did, and continues to today, still work closely with North Coast Power and Water. For the last 5 years
David has specialised in Off-Grid systems only.

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