Industry Day | Thursday 29 August 2024
Symposium: Plenary and Streams | Friday 30 August 2024
Industry Exhibition | Thursday 29 and Friday 30 August 2024
7:30am
Registration Opens
Grab a barista coffee sponsored by
8.45am
Rebecca George, MC
Room 1
Welcome and housekeeping
8.50am
Brendan Winitana, SEANZ Chair & CE
Room 1
Industry Review and Update
9:10am
Keynote • 25 minutes
Russell Keys, EWRB Presiding Member
EWRB Parallel Generation position and update
9:35am
Keynote • 45 minutes
Phil Smith, Profitable Tradie General Manager
Profit is King
10:10am
Morning tea
Proudly brought to you by 
10:40am
Industry sessions 1
1 hour
Taspac Energy
Delivered by: Brendan Harrison & Dan Wilkinson of Tesla ANZ
Room 1
Tesla Powerwall 3 Preview
The Powerwall 3 is a comprehensive solar and battery system, tailored to meet the needs of nearly any home. It delivers increased power from a single unit and allows for straightforward expansion to accommodate current or future demands. Featuring an integrated solar inverter for direct connection and high efficiency, the Powerwall 3 can be added to existing solar setups or installed independently. Discover the advantages of this innovative solution and find out how to become an accredited reseller.
1 hour
Entelar Energy
Hosted by: Laura Dewar
Room 2
Laura Dewar heads up the Entelar Energy team, a vibrant homegrown Kiwi solar hardware brand. As a newcomer to the New Zealand solar industry, Laura brings a fresh approach to renewable energy solutions. Passionate about advancing sustainable energy technologies and promoting eco-friendly practices, she is focused on understanding consumer trends and addressing them with innovative products.
11:40am
Industry sessions 2
1 hour
YHI
Hosted by: Dave Clarke
Room 1
YHI (New Zealand) Ltd is a specialist distribution company delivering to market complete hardware solutions in Solar, Batteries, EV Charging, Energy Storage and Power Quality. With their 9-warehouse nationwide footprint, national sales team and comprehensive product suite, YHI offers unparalleled partnership opportunities for those both in the industry and wanting to join.
1 hour
Independent Power
Hosted by: Margreet Leeftink from Victron Energy and Colm Franklin from Independent Power
Room 2
VICTRON & PYLONTECH - Flexible grid-tie and off-grid systems. Overview of Victron & Pylontech company and products. How to build powerful and resilient solar energy storage systems. Full system integration and support from Independent Power (NZ) Ltd. Presented by industry experts, Margreet Leeftink from Victron & Colm Franklin from Independent Power.
12:40pm
Lunch
Proudly brought to you by 
13:40pm
Industry sessions 3
1 hour
Taspac Energy
Delivered by: Rod Dewar of Fronius Australia & James Hanff of Taspac Energy
Room 1
Fronius 3-Phase Hybrid Solution
No net metering? No problem! Discover Fronius' new, innovative 3-Phase inverter solutions, designed to seamlessly adapt to varying loads in three-phase applications, with and without batteries. Explore the robust GEN24 ecosystem, featuring hot water diversion, EV charging, and modular BYD battery systems for enhanced self-consumption and backup in three phase applications. We’ll also introduce the new Fronius Verto commercial inverter range, highlighting its flexibility as an ideal choice for small businesses and commercial applications.
1 hour
Trina Solar
Hosted by: Artemio Bulan
Room 2
Founded in 1997, TrinaSolar Co., Ltd. (stock symbol: TrinaSolar; stock code: 688599) is mainly engaged in PV products, PV systems and smart energy. PV products include R&D, production and sales of PV modules. PV systems consist of power stations and system products. Smart energy mainly comprises PV power generation and operation & maintenance, smart solutions for energy storage, smart microgrid, and development and sales of multi-energy systems. We are committed to leading the way in smart solar energy solutions and facilitating the transformation of new power systems for a net-zero future.
Globalization is regarded as Trinasolar’s main corporate strategy. Trinasolar began to build up its global presence from its inception. The Company was founded in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, where its global headquarters is based. In 2022, Trinasolar established its international headquarters in Shanghai. It actively strengthened the building of global teams. In recent years, the Company has recruited international high-level management and R&D talents from more than seventy countries and regions. It has set up regional headquarters in Zurich, USA Silicon Valley, Miami, Singapore, Dubai, offices or branches in Madrid, Mexico, Sydney, Rome, etc., as well as manufacturing bases in America, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and UAE with operations in more than 170 countries and regions around the world.
14:40pm
Industry sessions 4
1 hour
Rise Energy
Hosted by: TBB Renewable and Rise Energy
Room 1
Rise Energy and TBB Renewable are set to transform your solar installation process. At SEANZ 2024, we're unveiling groundbreaking all-in-one solar technology: the TBB Raython M Series for industry leading power output, the compact Raython Model 0/1 & 2 for off-grid simplicity, and the Raython QS Series to scale commercial projects up to 1MW. Be the first to get hands on with TBB's all-in-one solutions and learn how to deliver maximum customer value in minimum time, with TBB's expertly designed and pre-wired solutions for rapid deployment. Discover these innovations that are redefining industry standards, from residential and off-grid, through to large-scale commercial. We're establishing new benchmarks in efficiency and functionality. Don't miss this opportunity to shape the future of your solar business. Join us at this significant industry event and position yourself at the forefront of solar innovation.
1 hour
Longi
Room 1
15:40pm
Afternoon tea
Proudly brought to you by
16.10pm
Panel discussions - Profitability, Dos & Donts
Moderated by Al Yates
Jarrod Steel - Steel Solar
Dwayne Cocker - Taspac
Cameron Dick - Vital Solar
David Gilbert - Smart Systems
Molly Hindman - Christchurch Solar
17.20pm
Greg Hoskins and Rod Dewar, SEANZ
Update on Standards
17.30pm
Industry Networking drinks
In partnership with 
8:00am
Registration Opens
Grab a barista coffee sponsored by
9:00am
Brendan Winitana, SEANZ Chair & CE
Room 1
Industry Review: Trends and Updates
9:30am
Keynote • 45 minutes
Phil McCracken, Managing Director, IT Power
Global to local - lessons NZ can learn
Proudly brought to you by 
Philippe has extensive experience in utility-scale grid-connected PV experience in Australia, as well as remote area PV hybrid mini-grids in the Pacific. His skillset bridges the technical, managerial and financial aspects of renewable energy projects, having worked variously as lead design engineer, project manager, contract manager, and financial analyst. His experience both as client-side engineer and as lead design engineer have given him a good understanding of the real-world challenges facing project developers, designers, owners, and end-users.
10:15am
45 minutes
Andy McCarthy, Founder, CEO, Director, Advisor
The journey of building a successful business in Solar
Andy McCarthy is a lifelong advocate for renewable energy, having worked in the Australian sector and abroad for nearly 25 years. Andy founded Gippsland Solar in the garage of their home in 2010, in a tiny village above the coal-dominated region of the Latrobe Valley. Andy overcame years of adversity, setbacks and ridicule from within coal country, building Gippsland Solar into one of the largest employers of its kind in Australia. In late 2019, Andy secured an acquisition by RACV (est. 1903 with over $5bn in annual revenue), and stayed on as CEO and Managing Director of RACV Solar for 3 more years. Having complete his post-acquisition duties, Andy is now a business coach, advisor, consultant and public speaker in the energy industry. Andy has published a book about his journey, which has just been released and is titled ‘Here Comes The Sun'
11:00am
5 minutes
Winner announced!
Live draw of the lucky winner of the Sharp 4T-C60DL1X Android TV™, sponsored by SHARP
To enter to win this amazing prize all you need to do is sign in to the SEANZ Event app before 10am Friday 30th August.
11:05am
Morning tea
Proudly brought to you by
11:30am
RCI Solar | BESS and USS Solar sessions 1
30 minutes
Marcos Pelenur, CEO EECA
Room 1
EECA's role in the electrification of Aotearoa and the importance of solar and batteries.
Dr Marcos Pelenur became Chief Executive of EECA in September 2023. Previously he worked for the Behaviour Insights Team in Ottawa, Canada and several policy leadership positions at MBIE. Marcos has a PhD in Engineering from the University of Cambridge, is a Chartered Professional Member of Engineering New Zealand and is registered as a Chartered Engineer with the UK Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
30 mins
Dr Stuart Johnston, Lead Advisor Engineering and Technical, Electricity Engineers Association (EEA) & Sian Hughes, Orion
Room 2
Streamlining Connections Programme
The establishment of a suite of Common Connection Technical Guidelines for Aotearoa, New Zealand that provide the technical requirements and settings for proponents and EDBs to best connect distributed generation and loads to the grid as well as manage power quality. For household DER, the guides would outline the minimum technical functionality requirements for devices and HEMS
12:00pm
RCI Solar | BESS and USS Solar sessions 2
30 minutes
Tim Sparks, Director, Network Pricing, Electricity Authority
Room 1
Distribution pricing reform, and price signals for solar and batteries.
Tim leads the Authority's Networking Pricing team, responsible for improving price signals for the distribution and transmission segments of the electricity supply chain. Tim’s work is aimed at facilitating lowest overall cost to consumers, including promoting efficient investment in and operation of energy technology and demand-side flexibility. Tim has previously worked in telecommunications, having held roles at Chorus and Optus, with a focus on economic regulation.
30 minutes
Allen Davison, Electricty Authority
Room 1
Updates to Part 6 of the Electricity Industry Participation Code
Allen started in the commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry. He has worked in government since the 1990s, primarily on energy policy and Building Code issues. Today, Allen is Principal Analyst – Retail & Network Policy at the Electricity Authority. His work focuses mainly on Part 6 of the Code Connecting distributed generation.
12:40pm
Lunch
Proudly brought to you by
13:30pm
30 minutes
Emma McRae, Boffa Miskell
Room 2
Integrating utility scale solar and battery storage into the rural environment from a landscape perspective
Emma has a wide range of experience working for both public sector and private clients on landscape assessment, landscape planning, landscape design and regeneration projects in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, where she began working on solar schemes in 2012. Emma has specialist expertise in carrying out landscape and visual effects assessments for renewable energy developments including solar farms, single wind turbines and larger wind farms. Emma has also provided landscape advice to local councils and provided evidence in relation to this on their behalf at Hearings. She also has specialist experience in undertaking glint and glare assessments for solar developments. Her work in the renewables sector has involved working alongside developers, planners and engineers and ecologists to achieve sustainable and coherent design outcomes.
Emma will discuss how to understand a site from a landscape perspective, potential pitfalls, the scale of solar developments and solar design in terms of landscape integration and mitigation and how developers can prepare to create solar schemes which have achievable landscape outcomes.
13:30pm
1 hour
Panel discussions
Installer Panel - Business development and resilience
Moderated by Al Yates
Chris Steer - Chris & Co
Regan Heal - Infinite Energy
Greg Hoskins - Hoskin Energy Systems
Dean Dunning - Think Solar
Malika Mitha - Lightforce
Room 2
USS Panel - Financing batteries
Moderated by Rogier Simons
Room 2
Philippe McKraken - IT Power
Nigel Purdy - Contact Energy
Gareth Williams - SolarZero
Mark Ryall - Transpower
Proudly supported by 
Large Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems in New Zealand are a relatively new concept. The first few large-scale systems have been announced by several players in the market. Gentailers are leading the pack, building them from strong balance sheets. There are some notable exceptions to this. SolarZero, have a applied a different solution to the storage problem utilising large numbers of smaller batteries in a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) format. Grid owners have found uses for BESS that support quality of supply and can defer investment in grid upgrades. For others in the market, justifying the cost of installing BESS is a sometimes-dark art. The systems have a multitude of functions, some that can be used for revenue generation and others that currently cannot. The panel session today will look to explore BESS and the ways in which they can generate revenue and provide services to the grid. Understanding how these systems work is key to taking a BESS project through to Financial Close and into construction.
15:00pm
Afternoon tea
Proudly brought to you by
15:30pm
RCI Solar | BESS and USS Solar sessions 3
30 minutes
Mark Ryall, Executive General Manager, Grid Delivery, Transpower
Room 1
Flexibility services and the impacts at grid level
Mark is a seasoned professional with Transpower, New Zealand since 2006. As the Executive General Manager of Grid Delivery, he has a sound understanding of the complexities of energy infrastructure. Mark is adept at navigating regulatory frameworks and optimising grid operations, which ensures a reliable supply of electricity across the nation. His strategic vision and innovative approach drives continuous improvement and resilience in the ever-evolving energy landscape. Mark and his team of 200 staff is accountable for the end-to-end life cycle management of New Zealand grid assets from project investigation, through capital build of grid assets, and the ongoing maintenance of the network. Committed to sustainability and technological advancements, Mark is dedicated to shaping a future where efficient, clean, and affordable energy is powering New Zealand. Previously, Mark has worked in project management and consultant roles in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Further to his degree from Lincoln University, Mark completed the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Executive Programme.
30 minutes
Daniel Cunningham, Co-Founder, Lodestone
Room 2
Harnessing solar - Agrivoltaics
Daniel is originally from Canada where he led the commercial development of Canada's largest solar farm. He came to New Zealand to start Lodestone with Gary Holden and has led the development of the first two sites into operation, two into construction and a further eight to shovel-readiness.
16:00pm
RCI Solar | BESS and USS Solar sessions 4
30 minutes
Rogier Simons, Chief Operating Officer & James Hogg, Installation Business Manager, Sunergise
Room 1
Inspiring C&I rooftop projects in NZ
COO of Sunergise Group Extensive experience includes successfully managing and expanding award-winning emerging technology businesses across both large corporate and private enterprises. Aligning innovation with purpose, guided by ingenuity, promoting ongoing product and service improvements, and positioning companies as leaders in their industries.
30 minutes
Daniel Brown, Manager, Electrify NZ, MBIE
Room 2
Consenting changes to the RMA
Daniel manages the Electrify NZ policy team at MBIE - primarily working on resource management policy to better enable the construction and operation of energy infrastructure. He previously managed the Energy Use policy team at MBIE and the National Planning Framework team at Te Waihanga, and has wide experience in energy infrastructure, innovation and environmental planning issues.
Daniel is presenting on the government's Electrify NZ programme - with a particular focus on resource management reform to help accelerate the build of energy projects, including grid-scale solar.
16:30pm
RCI Solar | BESS and USS Solar sessions 5
15 minutes
Trent Tscheuschler, USS Technical Programme Manager, SEANZ
Room 2
USS Industry Update and Close Out Questions
15 minutes
Realising energy communities in Aotearoa NZ
Room 1
What is the opportunity?
It's not as difficult as you think.
What’s missing, and why?
Real life case studies that are working.
16:40pm
Close
17:00pm
AGM
18:00pm
Industry Networking drinks
Proudly brought to you by 
19:00pm
SEANZ Industry Dinner & Awards Gala
Dinner proudly brought to you by 
