PowerTalk 4 was mainly to provide a forum for some open discussion. The result was fairly wide-ranging, and only a few highlights will be mentioned here.

First, a meeting was briefly convened and Helen Haski was formally elected onto the Committee. Congratulations Helen. Helen comes to us with a wide range of experience in the solar PV industry.

President Geoff Davies briefly summarised BCE’s objectives and activities to date, to set a basic context for the discussion. Paul Cockram spoke briefly, emphasising the desirability of local power being under local control, rather than being subject to the whims of politicians and billionaires, and the restrictive business models of agencies and companies.

Richard Elliott summarised a range of recent developments in renewable energy, including a plan for the world’s biggest battery in the world’s biggest coal valley, a plan to recycle old electric vehicle batteries into replaceable containers for medium-scale energy storage, and how entrepreneurs are planning to get rich on clean energy, for example by importing used electric vehicles from Japan, where they tend to be discarded quite quickly (Saturday Paper, 13 Feb, $). Richard recommended Ecogeneration as a good source of industry news.

John Beale summarised his research on what other communities are doing in Australia, and a general outline of how a community might proceed compiled by the Community Power Agency. See the ‘The Plan’ and ‘Other communities’ tabs above. The full report is here.

There was discussion of possible farm-scale off-grid energy and storage systems. Off-grid solar is of course common in the area and storage is commonly by battery. A general feeling was that BCE’s mission is focussed on town and village systems but it would be happy to encourage any such efforts if they eventuate.

After some further wide-ranging discussion it was suggested that Helen Haski might begin a draft project document for ultimate use in seeking investment, approvals and so on.