19 July 2010
Jacinta Goerke
Journalist
THE WA branch of the Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES WA) is calling for solar energy enthusiasts to provide mentoring services to students completing engineering, architecture and science degrees.
Interim president for the WA branch Mr Garry Baverstock said interest in solar energy was at an all time high yet knowledge was low.
“We are at a turning point where demand for renewable energy sector workers is higher than what can be supplied,” said Mr Baverstock.
“At AuSES WA we are doing what we can to prepare students for the future, but now need more help from external specialists,” said Mr Baverstock.
Mr Baverstock said AuSES WA’s main mandate has been to educate and mentor tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and architects, but tomorrow’s world had come a few days early!
“The imminent effects of climate change requires today’s and tomorrow’s engineers, scientists, architects and mathematicians to competently and quickly design, build and implement structures and processes which will make life more sustainable and comfortable for humans and ‘planet earth’ overall,” said Mr Baverstock.
Mr Baverstock said solar energy was the source of all energy – renewable and non-renewable and we now needed to shift our dependence from non-renewable to renewable and other innovative forms of reliable, efficient and socially responsible energy.
He said he joined the Society in the late 1970s during the peak oil crisis because he wanted to make a difference to the way energy was sourced and used.
“After WWII many world leaders, including President Eisenhower of the USA, realised fossil fuels would last about 100 years and a plan was needed to discover and implement suitable alternatives,” said Mr Baverstock.
“Not long after this realisation the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) was established which included an Australian and New Zealand division called ANZSES although today it is referred to as AuSES,” he said.
Mr Baverstock said he was extremely fortunate to have been a member of the Society because as a young architecture and engineering student he was mentored by well known solar specialists such as John Riley, Clarry Small, Dr Bob Lawrance and the late Ron Brown.
He said the Society’s main mandate of providing mentoring support to students was again high on the agenda due to research that confirms a positive correlation between coal-fired power stations and climate change.
Mr Baverstock said people who can help can contact him on 0419 965 227 or Dr Bill Parker on 0403 583 676 or go to www.auses.org.au.