Territory Stories

Bushlight

Details:

Title

Bushlight

Creator

Centre for Appropriate Technology

Collection

Centre for Appropriate Technology newsletter; Bushlight; E-Journals; PublicationNT; Bushlight

Date

2008-12-01

Location

Alice Springs

Notes

Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).; This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.

Language

English

Subject

Renewable energy sources; Aboriginal Australians -- Services for; Community development; Appropriate technology; Periodicals

Publisher name

Centre for Appropriate Technology

Place of publication

Alice Springs

Series

Bushlight

Volume

Newsletter, no. 20

Frequency

Irregular

File type

application/pdf

Use

Copyright

Copyright owner

Centre for Appropriate Technology

License

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042

Parent handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/223890

Citation address

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/684770

Page content

Light and Life in the BushImproving livelihood choices for Indigenous people through improved access to sustainable and renewable energy services www.bushlight.org.au Bushlight Administration PO Box 8044 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 4342 Fax: (08) 8951 4333 enquiries@bushlight.org.au Bushlight Central Australia 32-38 Priest St PO Box 8044 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 4331 Fax: (08) 8951 4333 rmcentral@bushlight.org.au Bushlight Top End Suite 2/20 Knuckey St GPO Box 2875 DARWIN NT 0801 Phone: (08) 8981 8706 Fax: (08) 8981 7233 rmtopend@bushlight.org.au Bushlight North Queensland 7/330 Sheridan St PO Box 6182 CAIRNS QLD 4870 Phone: (07) 4031 0505 Fax: (07) 4031 0431 rmcairns@bushlight.org.au Bushlight Kimberley WA 3/68 Clarendon St PO Box 1304 DERBY WA 6728 Phone: (08) 9191 2585 Fax: (08) 9191 2598 rmderby@bushlight.org.au BUSHLIGHT HOSTS INTERNATIONAL ENERGY COUNCIL VISIT In late November 2008, Bushlight and CAT Projects hosted a visit of 15 guests from the Photovoltaic (PV) Power Systems Program, which forms part of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The purpose of the visit was for the visitors to learn more about PV hybrids and mini grid power systems. The guests included researchers, engineers and consulting experts in their fields from Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, France and Austria. As part of the IEA visit to Australia, Bushlight took the guests on a technical tour of some relevant sites in Central Australia. The tour visited the 225kWp Power & Water operated gridconnected solar power system at Kings Canyon resort (480kms south-west of Alice Springs). The system designer/ project manager, Wolfgang Meike, conducted the tour and provided insights into its design and operation. The group also visited Ulpanyali, a remote Indigenous outstation community near Kings Canyon resort that recently had a Bushlight system installed. The tour of the Bushlight system allowed guests to gain first-hand experience of some of the unique design and installation challenges of working in remote contexts. IEA guests were interested to hear details about the community engagement process and innovative user interfaces that are included in Bushlight systems. Though the group experienced some unusually inclement weather they also found time for some bushwalking and sight-seeing. system was commissioned at Kulpa in 2005 replacing a failing, under-powered hybrid (RE and diesel) system that was costing residents around $6000 a year in fuel. Residents spoke about the Bushlight system and some of the changes they have seen in their community since the introduction of a reliable 24 hour RE supply. For example, being able to keep food fresh; the peace and quiet without the noise of the generator; and being able to stay at Kulpa through the wet season and support young people to stay on country and learn station skills. Chile Creek played host to the third event in mid November 2008. This homeland is 200kms north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula and has an active tourism enterprise hosting visitors from all over the world who are keen to see this special part of Australia. A broad range of stakeholders made it to Chile Creek to hear about Bushlight, including members from other communities on the peninsula. Bushlight would like to give thanks to all those who attended the three events and a special thanks to the residents of each of the communities for making it all possible. Attendees at the Chile Creek event International Energy Council delegates enjoying Wartarrka National Park