Page 51 - ISES SWC50

5.8 SWC50 Supporter: Smart Energy Council

The origins of the Smart Energy Council (SEC) founded in 1954 can be found in 50 years Solar Energy in
Australia and New Zealand - A history of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society. Assembled by
Garry Baverstock in 2005 the comprehensive report tracks early developments in solar powered technologies
and highlights the passion, determination and breakout successes of industry pioneers.

The Smart Energy Council’s Hall of Fame acknowledges the stellar achievements of a number of the scientists,
researchers and engineers who are widely acknowledged as laying the solid foundation for what has become
a monumentally successful multi-billion dollar renewables industry.

We applaud the likes of John Ballinger, David Mills, Graham Morrison, Monica Oliphant, Wal Read, ,Bill Charters,
Roger Morse, Clarry Small, Steve Szokolay, David Allen-Williams, Ron Brown, Tom Crawford, Steven Kaneff,
Wes Stein, Ian Onley, Bill Charters, Keith Lovegrove, Jim Were, John Riley, Muriel Watt, Andrew Blakers,
Stephen Kaneff, Zhengrong Shi, Stuart Wenham and Martin Green. And, among the architects who pioneered
energy efficient buildings: Gareth Cole, David Baggs, John Held, Geoff Barker, Trevor Lee, Richard Sale and
David Oppenheim.

Professor Green remains active in industry and research and has been awarded the world’s highest scientific
prize for his breakthroughs in solar cell advances that have lifted efficiency, increased economies of scale and
delivered all round PV affordably for millions across the globe which has curtailed millions of tonnes of carbon
emissions.

Today large (utility-) scale solar plants provide about 3 per cent or 5.82TWh of Australia’s annual 198.73TWh
and small scale solar is a story of phenomenal success, generating 11.82TWh. Back in 2008 there were just
7,000 solar PV systems on Australian households and battery storage technology was barely a blink on the
radar. Today more than 2.5 million (one in five) households have a rooftop PV system and the commercial
and industrial sector is booming. The “people’s plant” has reached a phenomenal 10GW capacity and it is
estimated that will have trebled to 30GW by 2032.

The story could have been very different had Australia’s coalition government – one that remains pro-fossil
fuels, hostile to clean energy and has gained a worldwide reputation as climate laggard - succeeded in its
determination to dump the Renewable Energy Target (RET) that promotes investment in large and small scale
solar, wind and other low emissions technologies. The government also in 2014 wanted to dismantle the
two agencies, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation
(CEFC), that are instrumental to the uptake of renewables by instilling confidence in investment in new low
emissions technologies.
The situation was as drastic as it was threatening, and that’s where the Smart Energy Council, previously
known as Australian Solar Energy Society (the Ltd NFP company name retains that heritage) and the Australian
Solar Council, stepped in. The organisation has never shirked from its responsibility to support the researchers
and the industry they created through focused strong advocacy. The Smart Energy Council ran powerful and
effective campaigns, rallies and media appearances to highlight the need to retain the two agencies and the
RET or face the demise of large- and small-scale solar plants and widespread job losses.

That has ever been thus, as successive federal (and some state) administrations seek to curtail the progress
of renewables.

John Grimes, who in 2008 was appointed chief executive of the association that has become the national voice
of solar and renewables for the media and policy makers, said the toughest challenge has always been political
ideology over fact. Together with Smart Energy Council President Steve Blume, the Board, and Government
and Stakeholder Relations Manager Wayne Smith, John Grimes has forged strong and enduring partnerships
with key influential people including high-profile current and former political leaders, Prime Ministers and
State Premiers. The partnerships have been instrumental in saving and growing the sector.

ISES SWC50 - The Century of Solar-Stories and Visions | 33