Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technology - International ...

Key Findings andRecommendations120Key Findings for Solar – PV Domestic/CommercialSolar PV systems have played an important part of transitioning the European citiesdescribed in this report from fossil fuel dependence to more renewable and sustainableresources for the production renewable electricity and heating of water. The Fellowshipanalysis identified that it was a ‘mindset change’ often referred to as a ‘paradigm shift’, thatre-focused thinking in order to transition to new and sustainable technology.Solar PV has also been used as an educational tool for citizens and political leaders alike.This has been a valuable method of engaging and helping the lay person to understand‘electricity and where it comes from’. Without this knowledge the lay person finds theconnection from fossil fuel based production of electricity and hot water to carbon emissiondifficult to understand. Therefore, people do not engage in energy reduction measures anddo not voluntarily invest in solar power.Another important point in favour of solar PV at a domestic/ commercial level is that itengages the community. It enables people in the community to be a part of the climatechange solution. The ‘Vauban’ urban development in Freiburg where ‘people participation’and engagement was most successful is a perfect example of this process at work.People participation was by far the most important part of the change management andengagement process.It is apparent that in today’s societies around the world there is a predominant feeling “thatthere is nothing I can do, to make a difference”. The people of Freiburg feel differently; theyfeel a sense of pride and they know that “they are the difference”. They stood firmly againstnuclear power and they used solar power as part of their solution a long time before climatechange was publicly acknowledged. Now Freiburg is a leading tourist city in Europe due toits visionary renewable energy implementation, energy efficiency standards and visionarypolicies and encourages citizens to live in harmony with their environment.It is also important to note that secure and supportive government policy such as the ‘grossfeed-in tariff’, encouraged people to take active participation by investing in solar PV for theirhomes and businesses. The right policy has made it a viable possibility for the individual toinvest even if they have no roof space, as many people live in apartments, they were able tobuy a share of a commercial installation and enjoy the benefits. All of these options help toincrease the solar capacity for generating ‘cleaner and greener’ energy.Appropriate policy in this area has had the effect of increasing jobs, creating manufacturingand growing the industry. World wide the solar industry to date has grown at a rate of 30%. 18This is a result of investor confidence and a future and encouraging return on investment.Just as Australia is experiencing skill shortages compounded by an aging population,Europe faces the same challenges. Solutions to overcome these challenges are to multiskilland cross-train trades where appropriate. The training of base trades such as electrical,mechanical, plumbing, carpenter, building trades is vital. There are training programs similarto what we have in Australia for VET in schools, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeshipswhich are part of their skills training plan. The main difference being that more specialisedtrade focused schools such as the ‘Richard Fehrenbach Gewerbeschule’ VocationalTraining School, delivering the base trade training as well as more specialised skills trainingsuch as solar PV installation for electricians.18 World Future Council, Hamburg – Submission 30, to the 2008 Senate inquiry into the Renewable Energy (Electricity)Amendment (Feed-in-Tariff) Bill 2008