Two Australian renewable energy companies make top 100

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Two Australian renewable energy companies make top 100

While coal and gas continue to be incredibly important to Australia’s energy production and export markets, the search for ways to successfully commercialise renewable energy technology has gathered pace in recent years.

We were thrilled to see reports that two Australian clean energy technology companies appear in a recent “top 100 global cleantech companies” list, compiled by US research company Cleantech Group.

Australian innovation in renewable energy

The list recognises the 100 “most promising and innovative” companies operating in the renewable, low carbon, or increased energy efficiency areas. They’re the organisations Cleantech marks as likely to make the biggest impact in the next five to 10 years. More than 4270 companies were nominated.

The two Aussie companies to appear in the list are Windlab Systems – a spin-off company from the CSIRO which creates tools to help choose the best place to locate wind farms – and a company called Barefoot Power, which provides solar phone charging, lighting products and business development services to people in developing countries.

Solar

Barefoot Power global marketing and business development manager Joyce DeMucci said her team was “honoured”.

“Barefoot Power has been championing the social, financial and environmental benefits of solar power for people at the base of the global economic period since 2005 and has impacted over 1.5 million people in developing countries,” she said.
“Being listed on the 2011 Global Cleantech 100 validates and adds a considerable amount of weight to those efforts.”

Wind

Windlab is actively developing wind energy sites in Australia, South Africa, USA and Canada. They have 273 megawatt capacity currently in construction, with more than 1500MW permitted and more than 6500MW in development globally. That’s enough energy to power two million homes.

The awards – and indeed the projects and technologies being tackled by the companies themselves – highlight Australia’s great promise and leadership in the renewable energy sector.

Renewable energy jobs

The Clean Energy Council estimates there are more than 8000 jobs in the renewable energy sector in Australia currently and expects that figure to grow to more than 55,000 by 2020. If you’re interested in alternative energy sources in Australia, check out our guide http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/Alternative-Energy.aspx in our Careers and Industry section. To find a job in renewable energy in Australia, just do a search using our search engine.

Congratulations to Barefoot Power and Windlab Systems. We wish them every success.