Background

Australian Renewable Energy Market SurveyField visits to 88 Indigenous communities identified the following

problems with Renewable Energy installations:

• Lack of regular maintenance

• Complex, ‘non-standard’ technology

• Lack of demand management

• Lack of trained community people & staff

• Insufficient technical support

Some Statistics

Systems fully 0perational 64%

Recent problems 43%

Battery failure 20%

Electronics failure 23%

Local persons received training 8%

Satisfaction with RE system 40%

Bushlight’s purpose

To provide improved livelihood choices

for indigenous people in Northern Australia

by increasing access to sustainable

renewable energy services.

Project Structure

• Established as a Joint venture between Centre for

Appropriate Technology (CAT) and Australian Cooperative

Research Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE)

• Now solely operated by CAT

• Four year project July 2002 – June 2006

• Operational funding for Bushlight (AUD$8.4M) has been

provided by the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO), through

the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)

Bushlight’s Objectives

1. Improved RE System design

2. Increased community capacity to manage energy services

3. Improved support network

PV/diesel hybrid

Doing additional works to make things easier

End products from joint work

Installed systems ready for use

Further Information:

Grant Behrendorff Operations Manager

Bushlight    PO Box 8044 (32 Priest Street) Alice Springs

       Northern Territory 0871  E-mail: grant.behrendorff@bushlight.org.au

 Phone:61 (0)8 8951 4330      FAX: 61  (0)8 8951 4333

    Mobile Phone: 61 (0) 427 514 330