What we do

The objective of the Association is to encourage participation of Australian organisations in PV industry development, policy analysis, standards and accreditation, advocacy and collaborative research and development projects concerning photovoltaic solar electricity.

An APVA member is provided with the following:

Information

• Up to date information on new PV developments around the world (research, product development, policy, marketing strategies) as well as issues arising;
• Access to PV sites and PV data from around the world;
• International experiences with strategies, standards, technologies and policies;
  Australian PV data and information;
  Standards impacting on PV applications.

Networks

• Access to international PV networks (PV industry, government, researchers) which allow personal relationships to develop and can be invaluable in business, research or policy development or information exchange generally;
• Opportunity to participate in international projects, with associated shared knowledge and understanding;
• Opportunity to meet regularly and discuss specific issues which are of international, as well as local interest. This provides possibilities for joint work, reduces duplication of effort and keeps everyone up to date on current issues.

Marketing Australian Products and Expertise

• Opportunities for Australian input (and hence influence on) PV guidelines and standards development. This ensures both that Australian products are not excluded from international markets and that Australian product developers are aware of likely international guidelines;
• Using the information and networks detailed above to promote Australian products and expertise;
• Working with some of the network partners to further develop our/their products/services to an overall better product;
• Using the network to enter into new markets and/or to open new business opportunities in Australia.

International Energy Agency (IEA) PV Power Systems Programme (PVPS)

One principal activity of the APVA is to manage Australian participation in the IEA PVPS. This work is arranged by Tasks, each with its own commitments of time and resources. At present Australia participates in:

Task 1 – PV Information Exchange and Dissemination

Task 9 – PV Services for Developing Countries;

Task 10 – Urban Scale PV Applications

Task 11 – PV Hybrid Systems within Minigrids.

Other activities undertaken by the Association include holding workshops and strategy meetings for the PV industry, undertaking PV information and education projects, making submissions to government on PV matters, producing the annual ‘PV in Australia’ status report and interacting with the media. 

Overview of Australia's IEA PVPS current activities (tasks)

Task 1: Exchange and Dissemination of Information on Photovoltaic Power Systems. The objective of Task 1 is to promote and facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information on the technical, economic, environmental and social aspects of PV power systems. All countries participating in the PVPS Programme are members of Task 1. A published report, Trends in Photovoltaic Applications, is compiled from the National Survey Reports (NSRs) produced annually by all countries participating in the IEA-PVPS Programme. The national reports can be found on the public website. The newsletter, PVPower, the public website, www.iea-pvps.org, and various special information activities (workshops and surveys) are managed by Task 1. Please contact Greg Watt gwatt@efa.com.au regarding Australian participation in this task.

Task 9: Photovoltaic Services for Developing Countries. The Mission of Task 9 is, through international collaboration, to increase the sustainable use of PV in Developing Countries in support of meeting the targets of the Millennium Development Goals. Task 9’s primary objective is to further increase the overall rate of successful deployment of PV systems in developing countries. This is being achieved by evaluating and analysing experiences leading to widespread dissemination of information regarding PV deployment in developing countries. Please contact Geoff Stapleton gses@bigpond.com regarding Australian participation in this task.

Task 10: Urban Scale PV Applications. Task 10 work aims to enhance the opportunities for wide-scale, solution-oriented applications of PV in the urban environment as part of an integrated approach that maximizes building energy efficiency and solar thermal and photovoltaics usage. Value analysis, policy incentives, analysis tools as well as system design and integration that have proven successful in the participating countries will be developed to the extent possible into a uniform international set of tools for the global market. Through developing and producing these deliverables, Task 10 will contribute to achieving the vision of mainstreaming urban-scale PV. Please contact Mark Snow m.snow@unsw.edu.au regarding Australian participation in this task.

Task 11: PV Hybrids in Mini-Grids. The focus of Task 11 is the operation of PV within mini-grids (defined as the interconnection of small, modular generation sources to low voltage ac distribution systems). These mini-grids may be powered by a combination of PV, wind, micro-hydro, fossil fuel gensets, and other sources, they typically supply multiple users, and, although they can operate autonomously, they may be interconnected with (or be part of) the distribution grid of the local electric utility. This raises issues of system control and coordination, sustainability and the role of local electric utilities in different jurisdictions. The main goal of Task 11 is to promote the role of PV technology as a technically relevant and competitive source in PV hybrid mini-grids. It aims at enhancing the knowledge-base of multi-source power generation systems including PV and associated electric distribution networks. The objectives of the Task are to:

• define concepts for sustainable PV hybrid mini-grids taking into account local factors (specificity of the application, financing regimes, location, others);
• provide recommendations on individual designs (mix of technologies, architecture, size, performances, other) in order to achieve high penetration level of PV as a means to improve quality,
• reliability and economics of electrification systems such as mini-grids;
• assess the potential of technologies to be mixed with PV for hybridisation; and,
• compile and disseminate best-practices on PV hybrid power systems.

The Task 11 work programme addresses technical and non-technical issues to increasing the market penetration and uptake of PV hybrid systems. Technical issues include design options, operational situations and technology mix. This forms the bulk of the work in this Task. Non-technical issues pertain to the social, economic and environmental conditions through which these systems become sustainable. Please contact Wolfgang Meike Wolfgang.Meike@novolta.com.au regarding Australian participation in this task.