2017 Clean Energy Council Awards announced

The 2017 Australian Clean Energy Summit, hosted by the Clean Energy Council, was held from 18–19 July at the Hilton Sydney. Attended by over 600 delegates from more than 200 organisations, the sold-out event featured more than 80 speakers from government, industry and academia discussing the latest market trends, innovation, policy, finance, business and technology developments in the clean energy sector.

The summit also saw the presentation of the annual Clean Energy Council Awards, which every year recognise excellence in the clean energy sector in the fields of innovation and business community engagement. This year’s awards ceremony was particularly memorable, with two projects tying for first place in the Innovation category.

Horizon Power was recognised for introducing a new way of charging for electricity called ‘Power Plans’, which aims to give customers better control over their power bills. With a similar set-up to mobile phone plans, users can track their energy use with an app that helps them to save money by staying under a set energy allowance each hour.

AusNet Services, Greensync and Power Tec were meanwhile awarded for their project to establish a community mini grid in a street in Mooroolbark, Victoria. The mini grid trial saw 16 homes successfully separated from Victoria’s main electricity grid, before operating together as a stand-alone grid using a combination of solar panels and battery storage.

The Clean Energy Council Business Community Engagement Award was presented to The Climate Council, which developed a strategy to combat the misinformation surrounding the role of renewable energy in the September 2016 statewide blackout in South Australia. It used written and video communication, social media, journalist backgrounding and stakeholder briefings to help combat public misinformation.

Finally, the Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award was given to former Clean Energy Regulator head Chloe Munro. Monro was recognised for her sustained leadership in the clean energy industry, including her contribution to the recent review of Australia’s energy security with Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel.

Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton said innovation across the renewable energy sector has become the norm, rather than the exception, and has helped to rapidly reduce the costs of generating power and improve efficiency.

“There are so many transformative projects and technologies happening in energy across the country, and a huge number of talented and passionate people constantly delivering improvements in the way Australia uses and delivers energy,” Thornton said. “It is always a great honour to congratulate the best of the best at these awards.”