Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Clean Energy Council Awards. Read on to find out more about the 2021 winners in the following categories:
Andrew Bray, National Director of RE-Alliance, won this year's Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award for his extraordinary passion for implementing a renewable energy future that delivers for regional communities. Through his work for RE-Alliance, Andrew has shown a long commitment and dedication to working constructively with industry while maximising outcomes for communities.
Goldwind Australia won this year's Innovation Award for IdentiFlight, a cutting-edge eagle detection and collision avoidance system at Tasmania's Cattle Hill Wind Farm.
The first of its kind in Australia, IdentiFlight, which was developed in the United States, uses high precision optical sensors and artificial intelligence to detect endangered Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagles and shut down specific wind turbines to avoid collisions.
Goldwind and IdentiFlight modelled and optimised the system over 18 months to determine the layout for the 16 IdentiFlight units by progressively analysing eagle behaviours and refining the IdentiFlight and SCADA control logic and settings to eliminate the risks.
Hydro Tasmania won this year's Community Engagement Award for its COVID-19 Recovery Program, which assisted Tasmanian communities in overcoming the challenges associated with the pandemic.
The program had two phases: the Sustain phase reassured Tasmanians that essential energy generation would continue, while the Recovery phase partnered with community organisations to deliver initiatives to assist hard-hit sectors and vulnerable groups.
The program enabled the community organisations to help more people affected by the pandemic and delivered a range of positive community initiatives across Tasmania.
Synergy won the Marketing and Communications Award for the development of an innovative marketing approach to create interest in its Outreach initiative, a program designed to increase customers’ understanding of new energy technologies and improve their energy management.
The campaign employed traditional media channels, direct marketing and an online gamification platform called Power Up to engage stakeholders and encourage behavioural change.
The campaign resulted in more than 12.5 million broadcast exposures, reached more than 18 million people on social media and had 1148 players of the Power Up game.
Peter Hannam, who writes on environmental issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, won this year's Media Award for the role that his reporting has played in bringing the community along with industry throughout Australia's clean energy transition.