Electrical Connection Winter 2016

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16 E L EC TR I C AL CONNEC T I ON W I N T E R 20 1 6
PROVINGSOLARBENEFITSAT THE
EDGEOFAUSTRALIANGRIDS
The Australian Renewable
Energy Agency (ARENA) has
announced $8.4 million funding
support for Canadian Solar and
Scouller Energy to construct a
5MW DC (4.5MW AC) solar farm
near Normanton in far North-
West Queensland.
ARENA chief executive Ivor
Frischknecht said the Normanton
Solar Farm would help demonstrate
how integrating solar into the grid
can improve energy reliability in
regional Australia.
“Like many regional Australian
communities, Normanton is on the
fringe of one of our major electricity
networks,” Ivor says.
“Power generated in
Rockhampton is fed across more
than 1,000km of transmission lines
to the Normanton area. Electricity
transmitted over long distances
typically experiences significant
losses along the way.
“Adding renewable energy
generation closer to where it’s
needed can provide more reliable
and efficient power. This is a key
ARENA investment focus for
fringe-of-grid and network
constrained areas.
“The Normanton Solar Farm
will act as a test case for network
provider Ergon Energy to
understand the true impact on
network losses. This will provide a
starting point to explore
regulatory changes that would
support more renewable energy
installations in fringe-of-grid
locations across Australia.”
The Normanton Solar Farm
is scheduled for completion in
December 2016.
A New Zealand and Pacific Solar and
Storage Council has been launched.
The new industry body will be
dedicated to promoting solar and
energy storage, ensuring common
standards and global best practises
and building local skills and capacity
across the region.
The council will aim to bring industry
leaders together and engage with
governments, donors and the industry
to promote the best outcomes for the
New Zealand Pacific region.
The six member board will be chaired
by Babara Ellisto, who is a director of
Elliston Power Consultants, Counties
Power, the Australian Solar Council and
solar PV start-up company Easy Warm,
and is a member of the NZ Electricity
Authority’s Security and Reliability
Council.
The council is partnered with the
Australian Solar Council and the
Energy Storage Council.
nbn (formerly NBN Co) has launched its
Experienced Workers campaign, one of
several campaigns aimed at attracting
around 150 additional workers into the
rollout in Tasmania, and an additional
4,500 workers nationally.
nbn is urging all experienced
telecommunications technicians and
workers to join the network rollout in
Tasmania as it ramps up in 2016.
Experienced workers are needed
now to help with the rollout and to
train and mentor less experienced
telecommunications workers for
the future.
nbn corporate affairs manager for
Tasmania, Russell Kelly, says the rollout
in Tasmania is creating opportunities
for experienced workers to re-enter the
industry and use their lifetime of skills to
help build and maintain the network.
“The nbn network rollout in Tasmania
has had its best year ever – in 2015 we
grew the footprint by 79% and
doubled the number of premises that
were activated.
“As at 31 December 2015, over 116,000
Tasmanian premises can connect to the
nbn network, with over 54,000 having
chosen to do so.
“We are about 45% through the
rollout and are about to hit a surge of
new activity.
“This year with the rollout of fibre
to the node technology that uses the
existing copper network to help deliver
fast broadband, we especially need
workers experienced in
copper technology.
“We also recognise that a significant
proportion of the telecommunications
workforce may retire in the next five
years – so it’s important we’re training a
new generation.”
Experienced workers are
especially needed to fill roles as
telecommunications technicians, fibre
splicers, linesworkers and copper
cable jointers.
The Experienced Worker campaign is
part of the nbn’s $40 million Industry
Workforce Development Program aimed
at stimulating the employment and
training of an additional 4,500 workers
to construct, operate and maintain
the network. The program also aims
to develop and maintain a sustainable
and competent workforce through the
deployment of enAble, an
online accreditation, training and
assessment portal.
To find out more or register your
interest visit
workforce.
INTRODUCINGTHENZANDPACIFIC SOLARANDSTORAGE COUNCIL
EXPERIENCEDTECHNICIANSWANTED FORNBNNETWORK INTASMANIA