A hand signal for a pop quiz after a training session
Has it really been a whole year since we last enjoyed the warm embrace1 of the Melbourne Convention Center? It doesn’t feel like it, but for those who couldn’t be there, please read on as I document a few random images from the extremely busy exhibition space.
This collection is by no means a representative selection as I never remember to take enough photos, but I am happy to report that the attendance record has been broken again this year. The place was packed with 10,000 energy industry experts. 2
Unfortunately, you couldn’t see this thing from a distance.
Ridiculously beautiful; Beautifully ridiculous
Perhaps the most incredibly interesting thing was this solar-powered smart flower. It was complicated, with dozens of moving parts to not only store the panels but also make the whole thing follow the sun.
Fronius inverter is hidden in the base
It looked fantastic. Having a tracking array myself, I know it would still be an unreliable treat compared to fixed solar arrays (even though the technology here was a million times better than mine)…but such an attractive one.
It would have been fun to see this thing in action.
A whole lot of sunfarming equipment
Apparently farming requires the use of tractors, so Sunbrush has tasked them with cleaning sun farms and cutting grass (which would be better eaten by sheep).
The tractor featured a side-mounted grass cutter and a new, oversized bottle brush.
An unusual portion of history
Call me a train-spotter, but I giggled a little at Delta Electronics’ very futuristic booth with its selection of batteries, electric vehicle chargers and inverters. They had this nifty lighted EV silhouette; of a 16 year old car. I guess they’re a homage to the first mass-produced electric vehicle of modern times.
I shaded it blue because water-clear illuminated plastic is difficult to photograph
iMiev – the timeless classic.
Instant power
Another thing that caught my eye was a portable solar power system. I’m pretty sure I invented this about 14 years ago, but those guys at Endapta seem to have beaten me to the development stage, mostly because I didn’t do more than a pencil drawing.
Where things like this always cause problems is with solar energy. At 5.5 kWp, the fold-out system would generate about 22 kWh/day, which is enough for an average house. To solve this problem, they also offer an additional 24kW of solar power that can be quickly deployed on site, but the diesel generator will support everything.
On the right is a diesel generator, on the left 12 black batteries, a blue box for converting electricity to 230 volts and a fold-out solar system
For those who like numbers, understanding what this device will do is pretty bold. Even the basic equipment should be enough for 3 modest houses.
+ Inverter power from 15 kVA to 90 kVA with single or three phase options
+ Batteries on board offer storage capacity of 60 to 240 kWh
+ Generator backup 10 kVA to 100 kVA
I’m assuming the full-size model would run a large film set or small mining camp, burning some diesel during the day and staying quiet at night.
Either way, some of these would be invaluable in responding to natural disasters.
Endapta has a more useful arrangement than the smart flower mentioned above.
Everything was electric
I was surprised that Toyota showed up with a stand full of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but I didn’t get a chance to ask them how far you could get from Geelong before you had to go back there to refuel. Actually, we shouldn’t laugh because there are four petrol stations in Australia and I estimate there are 25 million sockets to charge your electric vehicle.
I haven’t seen a Tesla Semi in Australia yet
There was also an electric propulsion engine, which I didn’t spend much time crawling over. Obviously a copy of a Tesla, it was still nice to see a real live example, complete with a bunch of TVs inside instead of rearview mirrors.
With a name like Windrose and a distinct lack of chrome exhaust pipes, I can imagine the average Australian truck driver might feel a little emasculated. Dog will help us if he finds a pedal with 1400 HP underneath.
Middle seat and 729 kWh battery behind you. Supposedly 670 km range and 1400 hp
There will be more from Melbourne once I’ve transcribed a few notes, but hopefully this gives you a little taste of what the largest renewable energy conference in Australia is like.
There is a wide mix of tradespeople trying to gain CPD points to keep their accreditation, government ministers trying to win votes and trade fair goers trying to attract customers, but I really need a few more days, to see everything. I guess there’s always next year.
Footnotes
- Of course, what felt like 13°C meant that it wasn’t warm in Melbourne ↩
- Some would argue that our drinking industry has an energy problem, but to be honest I didn’t see any sleazy drunks ↩
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