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2019 award winners

Congratulations to the winners in the 2019 Solar Design and Installation Awards, which were presented at All-Energy Australia 2019 on Wednesday 23 October 2019. Read on to find out more about the winners and the finalists in the following categories:

  • Under 30 kW - stand-alone PV power system
  • Under 30 kW - grid connect PV power system
  • Under 30 kW - grid connect PV power system with battery back-up
  • 30-240 kW - any system eligible
  • Over 240 kW - any system eligible
Solar award winner 2019
The 2019 Solar Design and Installation Award winners at the All-Energy Australia Conference and Exhibition Grand Networking Event

Under 30 kW - stand-alone PV power system

Winners - Scott Hansen, William Andersson and Hugo Lima

Working with Smart Commercial Solar, Scott and William designed and installed a 25 kW three-phase off-grid solar system with an 86 kW hour battery at a large property in rural New South Wales. In addition to saving the client more than $80,000 in grid connection costs, the installation serves as an excellent case study for the Australian market as an early deployment of a three-phase off-grid system.

Sdi awards 2019 2

Under 30 kW - grid connect PV power system with battery back-up

Winner - Johnson Lee

Working with Australia Wide Solar, Johnson designed and installed a 4 kW solar PV system with 10 kW hours of battery backup at Sydney’s award-winning Welcome to the Jungle house. By vertically-mounting the solar panels on the building, the installation demonstrates integrated sustainability in architectural design while creating an attractive facade and freeing up space for a rooftop garden.

Sdi awards 2019 3

Under 30 kW - grid connect PV power system

Winner - Nigel Phillips

Working with Electrical Sensations, Nigel designed and installed a grid-connected solar system on St Anthony’s Catholic Church in Queensland using an innovative and aesthetically pleasing design in the shape of two crosses. The installation also required the design of an in-depth monitoring system to allow the client to monitor the new system, a pre-existing solar system and their electricity usage on a single circuit.

Sdi awards 2019 4

30-240 kW - any system eligible

Winners - Jamie Thorncraft and Natalie Collins

Working with Todae Solar, Jamie and Natalie designed and installed an 87 kW solar system on a custom-built floating steel structure at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney. The unique mounting structure matched the aesthetics of the building while providing shade for a playground. It also freed up space on the roof for Australia’s first indigenous rooftop garden, which is powered by the solar system.

Sdi awards 2019 7

Over 240 kW - any system eligible

Winners - Christopher Hackett and Dimitar Liev

Working with GEM Energy, Christopher and Dimitar designed and installed a 638 kW solar system on the roof of the cafeteria and Crocoseum at Australia Zoo. As well as the usual safety considerations, the installers faced unique access constraints that involved avoiding encounters with crocodiles and tigers. The system will significantly reduce the zoo’s large electricity bill by helping to heat crocodile ponds and power facilities for thousands of daily visitors.

Sdi awards 2019 9

2019 finalists

Under 30 kW - grid connect

  • Joshua Axford (Axford Solar) for a 100-panel residential solar PV system built across two buildings that enabled the customer to reduce their electricity bill by over 90 per cent.
  • Nigel Phillips (Electrical Sensations) for a solar PV system in the shape of two crosses on St Anthony’s Catholic Church in Harristown, Queensland.

Under 30 kW - grid connect with battery back-up

  • Johnson Lee (Australia Wide Solar) for a vertically mounted solar PV system with battery backup on Sydney’s iconic Welcome to the Jungle house.

Under 30 kW - stand-alone PV power system

  • Scott Hansen, William Andersson and Hugo Lima (Smart Commercial Solar) for a 25 kW three-phase off-grid solar PV system that saved the customer more than $80,000 in grid connection costs.

30-240 kW

  • Christopher Geary and Christopher Betland (Coffs Solar Energy) for a 33 kW commercial solar PV system and 39 separate 3.3 kW systems on an apartment complex in Coffs Harbour.
  • Rohan Preston and Lachlan Bateman (Solpod) for using adhesive feet to mount a 98 kW solar PV system on Melbourne’s Highpoint Shopping Centre without damaging the roof.
  • Jamie Thorncraft and Natalie Collins (Todae Solar) for a 87 kW solar PV system that powers Australia’s first rooftop indigenous garden at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney.

Over 240 kW

  • Luke Butterworth, Jordan Hintz and Matthias Huchel (Epho and Swift Energy Group) for designing and installing a 1.74 MW solar PV system on Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal Building.
  • Christopher Hackett and Dimitar Liev (GEM Energy) for a 638 kW solar PV system on the roof of the cafeteria and Crocoseum at the world-famous Australia Zoo.
  • Matthew Linney, John Gough and Timothy Ball (Autonomous Energy) for a 1 MW solar PV carpark shading system at the Sunshine Plaza shopping centre in Maroochydore, Queensland.