2021 Clean Energy Council Awards

2021 award winners

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:

• Outstanding Contribution to Industry
• Innovation
• Community Engagement
• Marketing and Communications
• Media

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO INDUSTRY AWARD WINNER - ANDREW BRAY

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.

INNOVATION AWARD WINNER - GOLDWIND AUSTRALIA

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.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD WINNER - HYDRO TASMANIA

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.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS AWARD WINNER - SYNERGY

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.

MEDIA AWARD WINNER - PETER HANNAM

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.

2021 AWARD FINALISTS

Innovation Award finalists

• Energex and Ergon Energy Network deployed a distribution system state estimation engine, developed in collaboration with local start-up GridQube, into their Queensland distribution network’s operational technology environment to understand how the network is performing and actively inform a PV system of additional export capacity over the internet, in near real-time. The advanced network analytics platform allows Energex and Ergon to dynamically determine the maximum export the network can receive from customer PV systems using limited physical monitoring, to cost effectively enable customers to receive additional revenue from solar export and the potential to connect larger DER systems.
• Goldwind Australia sourced and integrated cutting-edge eagle detection and collision avoidance technology into the Cattle Hill Wind Farm. The successful implementation of the IdentiFlight system at the Cattle Hill Wind Farm in Tasmania demonstrates that substantial risk reduction to eagles is possible for large-scale wind farms at locations where endangered eagles are at high risk of collision with turbines. 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.
• Horizon Power partnered with DevelopmentWA to deploy the SmartSun virtual power plant (VPP) in Broome North, an innovative system with real-time visibility and control of rooftop PV, battery storage, hot water systems and air conditioning. The VPP utilised autonomous orchestration to optimise devices within a participant’s home, allowing Horizon Power to smooth solar output in response to grid conditions while significantly reducing customers’ electricity bills without affecting their comfort levels.

Judges

• Ariel Liebman - Director, Monash Grid Innovation Hub, Monash University
• Marita Niemelae - Director, Energy Business Unit, CSIRO
• John O'Brien - Partner, Energy Transition & Decarbonisation, Deloitte Financial Advisory

Community Engagement Award finalists

• Ergon Energy collaborated with the Diamantina Shire Council in a unique Solar Power Partnership to transition the Western Queensland towns of Bedourie and Birdsville from diesel power generation to renewable energy. The partnership used dynamic solar management capabilities to overcome the challenges associated with network constraints on isolated grids and allow the installation of over 800 kW of solar PV across the two towns. This resulted in solar meeting 350 per cent and 180 per cent of Bedourie and Birdsville’s average daytime demands respectively and so far has saved more than 14,000L of diesel, with forecast annual savings of around 170,000L.
• Horizon Power developed a community engagement strategy to raise awareness of the renewable energy projects included in its Renew the Regions program. The strategy involved a roadshow to showcase the projects through a series of in-person events throughout regional Western Australia and an online option for more remote locations. The events received significant positive feedback from attendees and helped to raise awareness of Horizon Power’s efforts to accelerate regional Western Australia’s transition to a cleaner, greener, renewable future.
• Hydro Tasmania launched the COVID-19 Recovery Program to assist 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.

Judges

• Justin Coburn - Community and Stakeholder Manager, Beon
• Andrew Dyer - Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner
• Amy Kean - Director, Stride Renewables

Marketing and Communications Award finalists

• Horizon Power developed the Renew the Regions campaign to raise awareness of Horizon Power’s new brand and the company’s ambition to ‘renew the regions’ through its renewable energy programs. The campaign messaging involved project updates and community engagement sessions through targeted social media, digital display, radio and press. The campaign was received positively by stakeholders, with the Renew the Regions microsite receiving more than 16,000 unique visitors and newsletter open rates of up to 70 per cent.
• Synergy employed 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.
• WWF-Australia developed the Renewables Nation campaign to encourage Australia’s leaders to make the country the world’s leading exporter of renewable energy by 2030. The campaign introduced the concept of a Renewable Recovery Stimulus Package, which was supported by endorsements from a community of ‘business champions’. The campaign reached 13.4 million people through targeted media coverage, engaged more than 80 business champions, generated over 100 communications products across web pages, social media, blogs, reports and videos, and secured demonstrated influence with key policy-makers.

Judges

• Emily Findlay - Demand Generation Manager, Tesla
• Lisa Upton - Communications Director, Climate Council
• Paul Zennaro - GM Communications & Corporate Affairs, Australian Energy Market Operator