Australian And New Zealand Solar Energy Society (SA Branch)

SOLAR NEWS SA Formerly the ANZSES CHATTER

www.anzses.org February 2005

CONTENTS
DIARY DATES WELCOME
PRINTING THIS … to this month’s edition of Solar News SA.! A special welcome to all new members – we hope this
NEWSLETTER
newsletter/email gives some idea of what’s happening locally!
THE URAIDLA
SUSTAINABILITY FAIR:
SATURDAY, 19TH
FEBRUARY 2005
DIARY DATES
ANZSES AGM Tues March 15th ANZSES AGM
SOLAR TOUR DAY Sun April 17th Solar Tour Day
Sat & Sun 11th & 12th September – Solar House Days
SOLAR HOUSE DAYS
TRIAL TO MAKE ALL
ANZSES MEMBERS ISES PRINTING THIS NEWSLETTER
MEMBERS
If you want to print this newsletter off, a PDF copy is available from
MODEL SOLAR CAR
CHALLENGE NATIONAL
COMPETITION – www.35s.com.au/anzses/Solar News SA feb05.pdf
WAL READ MEMORIAL
PRIZE ENTRIES
THE URAIDLA SUSTAINABILITY FAIR: SATURDAY, 19TH FEBRUARY 2005
FOOTPRINTS
JOHN H SMITH Volunteers are sought to come and help staff the ANZSES stall - a couple of hours is all you need
ISES SOLAR COMMUNITIES to donate. Free entry........! .
INITIATIVE
NEWS ON KYOTO If you are interested in taking part in this fantastic promotional event please contact Tawni
THANKS TO BETH AND RAY Buckingham ph: 8226 5522, email: buckingham.tawni@saugov.sa.gov.au
MYLIUS
AUSTRALIAN & NEW The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) in conjunction with the Uraidla & Summertown Show
ZEALAND SOLAR ENERGY
SOCIETY SA BRANCH
and the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES) invite you to attend The
BRANCH COMMITTEE 2004: Uraidla Sustainability Fair on Saturday, 19th February 2005.
The Fair will be held at the Uraidla Showgrounds UBD map ref: 133 P8 from 8am -
5pm. Admission - Adults $6, Concession $4, Children 5-15 yrs $2, under 5 and trade exhibitors
free.

ANZSES AGM TUES MARCH 15TH -

The plan is for a meal together in a central city location – guest speaker will be Dr Barbara Hardy
AO , long-time ANZSES member.

Dr Barbara Hardy (BSc 1947), founder of The Investigator Science and Technology Centre, is
described as a formidable South Australian, a woman of great vision and boundless energy.
In her career, she has been a driving force and notable speaker for solar and sustainable energy,
particularly hydrogen fuel cells. For many years, she has had solar panels on the roof of her
Seacliff home, generating not only enough energy for her domestic needs, but also a surplus which
goes back into the grid. And she drives a hybrid electric motor vehicle!
Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in 1987 for her service to conservation and the
community, she has served in many capacities during her 30 years in the environmental field.
She has been an Australian Heritage Commissioner, founding president of the Investigator Science
and Technology Centre, Chair of the South Australian Landcare Committee, a member of the
Bookmark Biosphere Trust and president of the National Parks Foundation of South Australia Inc.,
among other roles.

In addition to the AO, she received the Advance Australia Award (1991), South Australia Great
Award (1992), Institution of Engineers Australia Medal (1992), ABC Eureka Award for the
promotion of science (1994) and in 1996 was honoured with the South Australian Citizen of the
Year Award.

Further details on times and locations soon!

SOLAR TOUR DAY SUN APRIL 17TH

Planning has commenced for this popular event. We hope to visit biofuels production areas and
perhaps Bolivar as well.! More details to come.

SOLAR HOUSE DAYS SAT 11TH AND SUN 12TH SEPT 2005

We are starting to look for interesting houses not previously featured in Solar House Days. For
further information contact Monica Oliphant 8277 3357 (h) 0404 898277(Mob) email:
oliphant@senet.com.au

TRIAL TO MAKE ALL ANZSES MEMBERS ISES MEMBERS

At the ANZSES AGM in Perth in December 2004 it was agreed to undertake a trial with ISES to
make all ANZSES members automatically ISES members for a fee of ~ $20 - regular members and
~$10 for concession members. At present the costs are $83.60 and $57.20 respectively, so the
savings are quite great. The reason for the trial is that currently of the 853 ANZSES members –
727 full fee paying and 126 concession, only 123 are full fee paying and 21 concession ISES
members as well. So if all ANZSES members become ISES members at the lower rate both the
membership and revenue to ISES will increase.

The benefits to ANZSES members in becoming an international ISES member are the following,

• Refocus Magazine 6 times per year

• Electronic ISES Newsletter
• Electronic Wire (World-wide Information service on Renewable Energy) Newsletter
• Reduced Conference Fees
• Reduced prices at the ISES online shop
• Members Directory
• Membership Card
• Reduced price for the Solar Energy Journal
• Ability to join the International Consultants Network (ICN).

In addition other benefits are being discussed such as a free small handbook on renewable energy
facts and figure and access to download free from the ISES web site the updated version of the
Kreider and Kreith text-book , “Principles of Solar Energy Engineering”. (The update is by the
current President of ISES, Professor Yogi Goswami).

If the Australian trial is successful, then ISES will extend the concept to other countries.

Monica Oliphant
ISES Vice President (Public Affairs).

MODEL SOLAR CAR CHALLENGE NATIONAL COMPETITION -URRBRAE

AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL
Garth Borroughs (Design and Technology Teacher)

On the 1st of December 2004, Urrbrae Agricultural High School competed in the National Model
Solar Car Challenge in Perth WA.
Urrbrae’s two cars were pitted against 30 other competitors, the best from all states in Australia.
Competitors were chosen during state competitions held early in November.
Urrbrae finished 16th and 17th in the ‘seeding’ round with the 16th placed car eliminated in the first
semi-final. Although the students were disappointed, this is an excellent result for a very in-
experienced team.
Our team competing in Perth consisted of 3 year 9 girls, Kalinya Pulsford, Miranda Nyland and
Eleanor Hetzel-Bone, a parent (Sandy Pulsford) and a teacher (Garth Borroughs).

The Cars
The cars are models and may be constructed of any materials. They vary in size but are about
450mm long by 300mm wide and 100mm high. They may use any wheel size and configuration.
The cars must only be powered from the sun and a maximum solar panel (PV) output of 12 watts is
allowed. No storage devises are allowed. The cars are handicapped with a lead weight according
to a solar panel ‘weight/power’ formulae. This results in the more powerful, light–weight panels
carrying greater weight. The Urrbrae vehicles carried approx 450grams of additional weight during
the competition in Perth.
Typically these vehicles have three or four wheels with one wheel driven. They are constructed
from various materials including foam, composite materials and balsa wood. The motor drives
through gears to the driven wheel.
During the competition, each car is required to carry one fresh, un-tampered hen’s egg as a
passenger. This egg must have clear sideways and straight ahead visibility. The vehicle must
complete the entire event with the original egg unbroken. A broken egg results in disqualification.
Design criteria for the vehicle focuses on light weight, low rolling resistance and maximum solar
panel/motor efficiency.
To be successful, a car weight, without the solar panels, of less than 400 grams is required.
It is one of the rules of the competition that the vehicles be designed and built by the competitors
(the students) with minimum interference from adults.

The Race Track

The races are run, two cars at a time, around a figure eight track of approximately 100 meters in
length and speeds of greater than 20 km per hour are typical in full sun. (One lap from a standing
start takes about 20 seconds.) The cars run on a centre guide. Under cloudy conditions vehicles
may change gear ratios and use ‘maximisers’ to optimise solar performance.

Urrbrae’s Vehicles
The activity including the design, construction and testing of the cars as well as the teaching of
back-ground knowledge and workshop skills required for such a venture occurs at Urrbrae during
lunch-times as an extra-curricular ‘club’ activity.
This year the Urrbrae cars had a tubular aluminium (arrow shaft) chassis construction with
laminated foam body panels. A steering system was used on one of the cars to help minimise drag
from the guide in the turns. Urrbrae’s wheels were ‘turned’ at school from the heads from video
players as this results in wheel of light-weight and low rolling resistance. The tape head bearings
were also used to reduce friction.
The cars raced by Urrbrae were too heavy, each weighing approx 1.2kg without the solar panels
and no maximisers were used.

The Future
The team have already identified a list of improvements for the 2005 competition. These include
vehicle a new shape and light weight, a new motor with different characteristics, and new solar
panels. A maximiser will be used to reduce the need for gear changes and to improve performance
in less than clear sky.
Incidentally, this club runs on a shoe-string budget. Any assistance or sponsorship would be
gratefully received.

FINAL CALL FOR WAL READ MEMORIAL PRIZE ENTRIES

AU$1,000 is awarded for the best FINAL YEAR PROJECT report on"Renewable Energy" + 8
OTHER PRIZES OF AU$250

Details for the Wal Read Memorial prize can be found at http://www.anzses.org/
<http://www.anzses.org/index01.html> under student prize and
http://www.anzses.org/walread/outline.html
Entries close: 28th February 2005

FOOTPRINTS
As green businesses and those with an interest in sustainability I you may be interested in
subscribing an email newsletter to keep up with sustainability activities in South Australia -
particularly those things that the Government is saying and doing. For more information go to
http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/footprint

JOHN H SMITH
Teacher and Environmentalist. Born, 14-3-1940. Died, 1-11-2004

John Smith will be remembered as a talented teacher and passionate environmentalist and will be
greatly missed for his drive, enthusiasm and ideas.

He taught biology for many years and his students remember him as an extremely enthusiastic and
dedicated teacher. John was appointed as the Biology Consultant for the Education Department
and developed a deep interest in marine biology. The camps he ran on Yorke Peninsula for
teachers are well remembered and the booklets that he wrote are still in use today. As a result of
this work he was awarded the Science Teachers Association medal for outstanding contributions to
science education.
After his retirement from teaching in1992 John threw himself enthusiastically into many
environmental causes. Typical of this was his formation of the Fourth Creek Catchment Group with
the aim of restoring the area to its natural state by the removal of weeds and the planting of
natives.
John was also a staunch supporter of ANZSES. In 2001 he was on the organizing committee of the
International Solar Energy Society World Solar Congress held at the Convention Centre in
Adelaide. John wanted to have some free public participation in the Congress, so a Public Day was
organised – something not done to any extent before or since round the world at these conferences
– but it was very popular. He organised a competition between schools in Rundle Mall –
developing the material and concepts and helped produce a calendar of primary school student
drawings on environmental issues that was sold during the Congress.
Also associated with the Congress was the World Solar Challenge Darwin to Adelaide solar car
race. John was on the Board of the University of South Australia’s solar car consortium that helped
school students build a car that was entered in that and subsequent races.

John had a forthright and determined personality and was renowned for not giving up on issues
until he got a satisfactory outcome. He taught by example and matched his enthusiasm for the
environment with a real commitment to getting things done, as is exemplified by the building of his
house at Norton Summit “Kawanda Muna” (aboriginal for “North in Front”). This is a wonderful
example of a sustainable house and will remain a lasting tribute to his work. It embodied John’s
passion of bringing to the public the notion that homes do not have to use much energy, nor do
they need to look way out but can be aesthetically pleasing and in harmony with the surroundings.
John was always happy to share his ideas and open his house to enable other people to benefit
from what he had learnt. The house features in the Australian Greenhouse Office publication “Your
Home” which is quite a definitive work in Australia on energy efficiency and low energy houses.
John was also a lead coordinator of Solar House Day in South Australia in 2002 & 2003 in which
“Kawanda Muna” featured and he helped to make the event in SA one of the most successful in the
country in both years.

John’s contributions to science teaching and his great dedication to environmental improvements
are highly valued and will be long remembered. He will be missed.

ANZSES extends their sympathy to John Smith’s wife Jillian, daughter Heather - also a respected
environmentalist and ANZSES member - and rest of the family.

ISES SOLAR COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE

The recent catastrophic events in southern Asia have underlined the need for a higher level of
preparedness and resilience for communities in case of disasters. Renewable energy technologies
have an important role to play, both in the short-term aid rendered to those affected, as well as the
ability of those affected to resist disaster, to help themselves, and rebuild their lives and their
communities.

ISES has extended its Solar Communities Initiative to include a Community Resilience element,
with a special focus on the role of renewable energy technologies in hardening communities
against the effects of disaster, and helping them in their recovery.

This aspect, combined with the need for a clear understanding of the immediate role of renewable
energy technologies in aid and relief efforts, has prompted the ISES President, Prof. D. Yogi
Goswami, to call for the creation of an ISES Task Group to gather technologies, strategies, good
practices and examples of renewable energy technologies and equipment in disaster relief and
community resilience.

Prof. Goswami calls for volunteers to serve on this ISES Task Group, and for those in the
posession of relevant information and materials to make this available for collation and wider
dissemination.

Please send your indication of interest to serve, and your materials/information, to

disaster@ises.org as soon as possible.

Thank you for helping us help others cope with the effects and aftermath of disaster.

Warmest regards,
INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY
Rian van Staden, Executive Director

NEWS ON KYOTO

ECO Volume CX Issue 09 NGO Newsletter CoP-10, Buenos Aires, Argentina

1. Ministers Urged to Move Forward Without the US

2. Shocking and Awful
3. From Rhetoric to Risk Reduction
4. Australia Uses Flawed Argument
5. Diego
6. "Fossil of the Day" Award

1. Ministers Urged to Move Forward Without the US

The Bush Administration has made its position on post-2012 commitments crystal clear: it will not
engage in any negotiations or discussions about mandatory emissions limits. This irresponsible
stance leaves the rest of the world with three options.

First, ignore the statements of the US and try to engage them in negotiations anyway. This would
be like beating one's head against a brick wall - painful and not very productive.

Second, wait for the next US administration in four years. Given the increasingly evident impacts of
climate change, the world cannot afford such a delay.

Third, start negotiations next year, as called for in the Kyoto Protocol, without any expectation of
meaningful participation by the US.

While far from ideal, this is the only option that holds out any prospect of progress. The EU must
take the lead in these negotiations and should declare now that it will move forward with further
emissions'reductions post-2012. The scope of such reductions would, of course, be determined by
the next round of negotiations. The G77&China must break the impasse created by the
obstructionist tactics of the Saudis, who clearly have no interest in addressing the threat of climate
change. Some developing countries that provided important leadership in the Protocol negotiations,
such as India, seem to be sitting on the sidelines at this COP. They must re-engage with the EU
and others in shaping the way forward.

Finally, all Parties to the Protocol should support the progressive actions being taken on global
warming by a growing number of US states, cities and businesses. These governors, mayors and
businesses are providing much-needed leadership, in stark contrast to President Bush's head-in-
the-sand approach. They should be consulted with as negotiations move forward. This would
ensure that constructive US views are taken into account, and would build domestic support for
whatever post-2012 agree-ment is negotiated. It may seem a paradox that the best way to
ultimately draw the US back into the international climate treaty regime is by not wasting time trying
to engage the current Bush Administration. But that is the reality the world now faces.

2. Shocking and Awful

After the absurd US proposal for the Seminars circulated Monday entitled "Draft text of a seminar
decision the US could accept" (if you have not seen it, you really should - it is a joke), we were
shocked at the content of the text circulated Tuesday morning as the position of G77&China. It
was, for all intents and purposes, the same position as that put forward by the US, although
dressed up in slightly more serious language. It was awful. For the Seminars to be useful they must
have a mandate that includes a forward looking exchange of views, not the description of current
activities suggested by the US. The results of the Seminars should feed back into the negotiations
in a transparent and timely manner at COP11. Otherwise, what would be the point? Groups within
G77&China, despite the usual antics from Saudi Arabia, have shown some substantial positive
developments at this COP. AOSIS has been vocal as usual, and the LDC group has shown a new
assertiveness that CAN welcomes, as well as the more positive contributions from a number of
African countries. So where does this text come from? Does it really represent the opinions (and
the interests) of the majority of countries within the G77&China, which are already beginning to feel
the effects of dangerous climate change such as increased droughts and floods, coastal erosion
and flooding from a combination of an increase in extreme storms coupled by sea level rise? Do
they really not want the Annex I countries to get on with deeper and further emissions'reductions
than those called for in the first commitment period? We find that hard to believe.

ECO has to ask the governments who put this forward how they assess the risk of climate change
to their population, their economies and their future, and to the future of their colleagues from
AOSIS and the LDC group. What government, at a convention designed to address what many
scientists and a number of heads of governments have characterised as "the greatest threat facing
human civilisation" and "a much greater threat than weapons of mass destruction," where the
benefits of early action are manifest, would want to prevent conversations between governments
about how to address this threat in the future? Whose interests are being served here?

Unfortunately, ECO has learnt that this document (which as far as we can tell represents the
interests of a few large, powerful and relatively rich countries within the G77&China), has not had a
full discussion within the group. We would submit that this posture presents almost as great a
threat to the millions at risk from dangerous climate change, as the illegitimate, immoral and absurd
behaviour of the US. Dangerous climate change is the most urgent threat facing the world today,
and it is already impacting the world's poorest and most vulnerable. ECO urges the leadership of
G77&China to take their common responsibilities seriously, differentiated though they may (and
should) be.

3. From Rhetoric to Risk Reduction

As COP10 struggles through the negotiations at this so-called "Adaptation COP," the reality is that
environmental disasters are affecting millions in poor countries and preventing the path out of
poverty for them. As the impact of disasters will increase with climate change, the funds for
adaptation being fought over are nowhere near enough to address the scale of global need.
Disasters are not simply about the severity of hazards; fundamentally, they are about human
vulnerability. So, any adaptive strategies must address all the "risks" involved. Thus, disaster risk
reduction, which has been proven to save both money and lives, makes economic and ethical
sense. And when dealing with the uncertainties of climate change, enhancing activities that
minimise climate-related risks is one way to strengthen the capacity of communities to cope, both
now and in the future. While there already are many good disaster management projects, these
need scaling up if they are to contend with the increasing threats. Governments and donors
therefore need to mainstream disaster risk reduction into every development initiative. Likewise, the
climate community must recognise the importance of risk reduction as a component of climate
change adaptation, and work closer with the disaster management community to develop cohesive
approaches. As a step forward, COP10 must make links with and provide substantial input to the
World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe next year.

4. Australia Uses Flawed Argument

What is Australia's main excuse for not ratifying the Kyoto Protocol? It is too expensive! Yet, a
recent report from the Kyoto Protocol Ratification Advisory Group (sponsored by two Australian
state governments) found that the economic impacts on gross domestic product (GDP) of Australia
meeting its Protocol target, through ratifying and using the Protocol mechanisms, would be on
average (only) 0.11 percent lower than business as usual (AUS$875 million per year). Australia has
also said it will not ratify the Protocol but still meet its target. Yet, according to the report, if Australia
meets its target without accessing the Protocol's mechanisms - through domestic action alone
(primarily through the infamous Australia clause), GDP will be 0.26 percent lower, which is
equivalent to AUS$2 billion per year. Thus, by meeting their target without ratifying it increases
compliance costs by over 100 percent. Compare both these figures to the current drought that is
expected to reduce Australia's GDP by 0.75 percent. So if it is cheaper, and the economic impacts
of climate change are already higher than compliance, why does Australia not ratify? Who gives it
its economic information? What industries or other country dominates the Australian delegation?
Could Australia's backward target have anything to do with the coal and aluminium sectors that
appear to have the ear of the current government? Through sheer political short sightedness,
Australia has chosen the most expensive option to meet the Protocol target. Australia needs to get
its head out of the sand. There is life and business opportunities outside of the coal and aluminium
sector that directly employs less people in Australia than are attending COP10.

5. Diego
The US delegation, for all its rugged good looks and clean living, makes satire very hard. In the
face of text like this, Diego can do little but stand aside and admire the work of a master. The US
proposal for discussing future action to fight climate change consists of a seminar at the next
SBSTA meeting. This seminar explicitly forbids discussion of "any future commitment, framework,
or mandate" for addressing climate change. Just in case anyone should draw lessons of some kind
from the policy experiences discussed in the seminar (and thinking can be so dangerous that way)
"there shall be no written or oral report of the meeting." So it won'tdiscuss anything, and then it
won'thave taken place. No doubt any participants in this non-existent meeting will be quietly
eliminated.
6. "Fossil of the Day" Award
Italy received the top fossil award yesterday for a proposal by Corrado Clini that post 2012
commitments be based on standards and not on caps; and for his suggestions that the climate
convention be linked to the WTO, and CDM should include the nuclear. The US was awarded the
second fossil for its destructive behaviour in the discussions on the Special Climate Change Fund.
Japan came in third for allowing its economy and technology ministry to claim the second
commitment period should be set up on a long term basis (up to 2040).

Editorial/Production: . Nithi Nesadurai & Sander Wijsman

THANKS TO BETH AND RAY MYLIUS

Beth and Ray Mylius are retiring from the ANZSES SA Branch Committee at the upcoming AGM.
As a retired couple they feel they should be able to stay home on the occasional night rather than
attending meetings!! Thanks to them for their wisdom and enthusiasm and we hope we will still
see them involved in various activities.

AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY SA BRANCH

BRANCH COMMITTEE 2004:

President: Stewart Martin

School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of SA, Mawson Lakes 5095
Ph 8302 3048 (w) 8261 4630 (h) fax 8302 3389 email: stewart.martin@unisa.edu.au

Vice-President: Chris Selwood

Ph 8322 2990(h) 8463 4690(w) fax 8305 0175
email: selwood.chris@saugov.sa.gov.au

Treasurer: Sandy Pulsford

Ph 8359 1900 (w) 8363 7538 (h) 0429 619 470 (m) fax 8359 1901 email: sandy.pulsford@solaris.com.au

Solar News SA Editor: John Held

Ph 8271 4555 (w) 8272 6608(h) Email jfheld@rusyel.com.au

Publicity Officer:
Margaret Dingle ph 8362 7007 email mdingle@chariot.net.au

Solar House Tours Coordinator:

Monica Oliphant 8277 3357 (h) 0404 898277(Mob) email: oliphant@senet.com.au

Committee:
Wasim Saman (National Committee Contact)
Sustainable Energy Centre, School of AME, University of SA, Mawson Lakes 5095 Ph 8302 3008 (w) 8251
4619 (h) fax 8302 3380 email: wasim.saman@unisa.edu.au

Albert Thompson ph 08 8339 5869 aat@internode.on.net

FUTURE MATERIAL FOR SOLAR NEWS SA

We are keen to distribute as much information and news as possible in this format. Obviously it’s
quickest, easiest and fastest by email – so if you are getting this by post, and have an email
address, please contact John Held at jfheld@rusyel.com.au . Please send me any news, meetings of
interest to members, and other bits of information!