On the 30th of March, AC Solar Warehouse presented the first edition of shineon in Brisbane. The team at AC Solar Warehouse wanted to thank everyone who attended for making shineon23 a great success.  The goal of shineon is to provide the installer community with the opportunity to learn from world-leading manufacturers, while also providing opportunities to learn and grow all areas of their business.

The event featured presentations from various manufacturers, including SolarEdge, Sungrow, REC, and Enphase – along with The Smart Energy Council,  TradeMutt and Tom Potters.  For those who couldn’t attend, don’t worry – here is a brief overview of the event and the individual presentations along with a recording to watch of each presenter.

James Struch from SolarEdge presented on “Advanced Solar Safety”, highlighting the need to consider safer solar-like optimisers and micro-inverters in the wake of increased natural disasters in Australia.  He also reminded us that there are certain safety factors that may not be widely known when it comes to batteries and electric vehicles in residential jobs.  These considerations are highly useful to prove the future of these installations.  This presentation gave solar installers 10 CPD points.

Scott Su from Sungrow discussed “Single Phase Hybrid Systems in QLD”, and explained the importance of choosing batteries to install on the solar system.  With the recent GSD regulation for Queensland, Scott Su took this opportunity to introduce the new 10kW Hybrid inverters which would be rated at 9.99kW to avoid the GSD requirements. As the new regulation requires a GSD for solar systems with an aggregated capacity of 10kVA and above.

Ross Crawford from REC talked about “Pressure Ratings & Clamping Zones” and the importance of the extra brace in the frame of REC modules, which provides a more flexible clamping zone for easier and quicker installations.  Solar installers received 10 CPD points for attending this presentation.

Duncan Macgregor from Enphase discussed “Enphase Energy Storage – the Safety of Battery Systems” and the upcoming release of the new 5kW Enphase IQ8 AC-connected battery in July.   Attendees were excited to learn that the Power to Energy Capacity ratio would be the highest on the market.  10 CPD points were given to attendees after this lesson.

Wayne Smith from the Smart Energy Council presented on “QLD’s New Panel Recycling Program“. He encouraged us to believe that this moment is the right time to have an impact on changes that will transform the solar market.  Mr Smith talked about the difficulties faced in incorporating panel recycling into the sector and as an answer to that problem, he introduced the recycling project.  The Smart Energy Council Queensland solar module recycling pilot project is an opportunity for installers to have input into the future of module recycling (and reuse) in our region.

One of the highlights of the event was the Trade Mutt presentation, which brought to light the important issue of mental health in the trade industry. The founders of Trade Mutt, Ed and Dan, shared their own personal experiences and struggles with mental health, and how this inspired them to create their innovative workwear line. Attendees were impressed with the Trade Mutt shirts, which act as a conversation starter to help break down barriers to starting conversations about mental health. The presentation received high praise from attendees who applauded Trade Mutt for its commitment to addressing mental health in the trade industry.

Tom Potter, a successful entrepreneur and founder of Eagle Boys Pizza, delivered an inspiring keynote speech. He challenged attendees to find what makes them stand out from their competitors and apply value to their brand without sacrificing price. Potter also emphasised the importance of constantly evolving and adapting to market changes to survive in the industry.

Overall, shineon23 event was a success, with attendees gaining valuable knowledge and skills from the presentations, as well as making meaningful connections with their peers. The event was a testament to the growing importance of solar energy in Australia and the need for ongoing education and innovation in the industry. Special thanks to Trade Mutt founders Ed and Dan for taking the time to share their important and powerful story, and to Tom Potter for sharing his amazing business journey and challenging us all to be the zebra amongst the horses.

Check out some of the highlights from the day in the photo gallery and highlight video reel or see the full length recording of Tom Potter and TradeMutt founders Ed Ross and Dan Allen to learn directly from their presentation.

Highlights from the event:

TradeMutt founders Ed Ross & Dan Allen present to solar installers about mental health:

Tom Potter, founder of Eagle Boys Pizza provides solar installers lessons to apply in their business:

Photos from the event: