There are only 147 of the endearing and vulnerable kākāpō left. New Zealand’s 100% renewable Meridian Energy is tapping national ingenuity to encourage romance between these large green parrots, boost awareness of their plight, and most importantly, grow their population.

Last night, 25 rooftop-solar dealers from around Australia gathered on the edge of Sydney Harbour to celebrate their initiation into the SMA PowerUP Program. A new supported-network approach to serving the booming residential and commercial rooftop markets, PowerUP has been devised by the Australian arm of longstanding German inverter manufacturer SMA. It recognises the importance of developing deep expertise, and of knowledge and kudos sharing in a competitive environment.

South Australian-based company Reclaim PV estimates it will open Australia’s first commercial solar-panel recycling plant in mid 2019. Its high-energy founders also have a broader mission — to inform better environmental practices throughout the solar value chain.