This year, we were impressed to see that the All-Energy Australia conference was filled to the brim with over 10,500 visitors and hundreds of global distributors, retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers.

I still remember the first solar conference I attended 15 years ago, called ATRAA at the time, which only had about 200 attendees. Over the years, It is fascinating to see how the solar industry has evolved beyond panels and inverters, with the stands showcasing more specialized and diverse products, such as batteries, packaged storage systems, smart chargers, EV software, and energy analysis platforms.

The Event

The exhibition of the MCEC was buzzing with stands and visitors filling the entire hall. It was really impressive to see so many exhibitors committing and contributing to the event.

All Energy is immense. The exhibition floor hosted over 300 stands, and 75 specialist discussions in the conference centre. The sheer volume of information presented over the course of two days is too much for one person to absorb. This is why we decided it was crucial to invite the whole Smart Commercial Solar team.

Sending the whole team is not just about info gathering and meeting industry partners, it is also great for the culture and team building and, in some cases, meeting partners who we generally deal with only via phone and email. Notable mention goes to Solar Juice, One Stop Warehouse, Trina Solar, and MMEM for throwing great parties. But what we truly gain as a business is the efficiency of collecting information and disseminating quickly throughout the team. This allows us to decentralise our decision-making and innovation process.

Technology Stands Out

Whilst it is easy to look at the industry each year and say “well a panel is a panel” or ‘same old’ the fact is that it's the detail, the nuances that make all the difference. This is why Smart is so involved. We care about these details because our clients rely on us to make these informed decisions.

Solar Panels

Over my life in solar; panels have doubled their efficiency from 125W/m2 to 250W/m2 over the past 15 years, although they look more or less similar. Although this trend is likely to hit a plateau at some point, innovations will continue to drive further efficiencies, such as the launch of Bifacial technology and new copper-based technology pioneered by our very own UNSW.

EV Charging

One of the standouts was the volume of EV charging station designs which have also evolved into a more customer-centric model with the presence of software modelling companies on the floor. In the early years, hardware quality was the main focus, but now the key value offerings seem to be based on the software's ability to integrate vehicle features, customer needs, and geographical conditions into one manageable piece, allowing for simultaneous control of site requirements and data collection. So by going to All Energy, we were able to compare various vendors based on their software capabilities, product functionality and quotes, manufacturing processes, and supply chain ethical integrity, among other things. Everty gets a strong nod here.

Storage

Batteries; Lithium, Flow, Flywheels, Heat… this is obviously the sector to watch. This is also going to be the saviour of the ‘solar’ industry. Years ago at an All-Energy talk I gave entitled "Solar is Dead"... or at least, I thought it would be if not for storage or new loads (like EVs). Storage is the key to a renewable future. And living off-grid myself is of particular interest.

All-Energy had some really great storage systems on display. Sungrow, Evo-Power, and particularly interesting was the PowerPlus product coming in 2023.

Depending on the application we would use each of those products, and apply our control system to enable them to suit your needs.

ALLLLL-Energy but where are the others?

The question now is, can this growth be sustained in such a dynamic industry? As the industry grows, stakeholder engagement becomes increasingly important to maintain active participation and create mutually beneficial opportunities across the energy ecosystem. Unfortunately, one of the things I’ve noticed lacking in most of these events is involvement from DNSPs and Retailers. Regardless of the energy they produce, both traditional and renewable, we need to encourage their involvement in Australia’s transition to sustainable energy.

The Wrap Up

If you weren’t there, you did miss a great event, perhaps the best All Energy yet. But that is fine! - we go so that you don't have to. 

Whilst it is an opportunity to see where our industry has come I feel like it's just the start. 

It was awesome catching up with familiar faces but also seeing plenty of new ones. It’s bizarre to think that once upon a time I knew most of the people in the room, and now… well… I hope we have more events so that I can meet more people soon. If you have questions or want to know the latest information please give me a call.

See you at the All-Energy Australia conference in 2023!

You can also read the latest news and find out what’s happening in the commercial solar space at Smart Insights.