Entries for the Brightest Spark competition are closing soon and Master Electricians Australia is urging apprentices to get their entries in to avoid missing out. [ + ]

The 7SD Project in Toowoomba has been announced as a finalist in the Australian Solar Installation Project of the Year. The project was carried out by Excel Solar Pty Ltd using products from CNPV Solar Power SA. [ + ]

IKEA has announced plans to purchase a 7.65 MW wind farm in north-west Ireland as part of its plan to generate as much renewable energy as it consumes by 2020. [ + ]

Dr Bronwyn Evans has been appointed as chief executive officer of Standards Australia. Incumbent CEO Colin Blair will retire in October and will continue to serve in the role until Dr Evans commences the position on 28 October. [ + ]

Master Electricians Australia and Clipsal & Schneider Electric have formed an alliance which will reportedly provide a number of benefits to the electrical industry. [ + ]

The future is bright for new clean energy technologies such as large-scale solar, marine energy, geothermal and storage due to state and federal government support, Clean Energy Council CEO David Green has said. [ + ]

Yingli Solar has formed a distribution agreement with L&H Solar + Solutions. The company will distribute Yingli’s flagship PANDA monocrystalline PV products, as well as its high-end polycrystalline YGE PV products to its solar partners and through its network of more than 200 electrical wholesale outlets and over 30,000 electrical contractors across Australia and New Zealand. [ + ]

The Coalition’s promise to establish a full judicial inquiry into the federal government’s Home Insulation Program (HIP) if it is elected has been welcomed by Master Electricians Australia (MEA). [ + ]

Royal Philips will be phasing out its trade range of incandescent bulbs in New Zealand. The company’s supply of Softone bulbs to electrical wholesalers will be phased out from 1 October. [ + ]

Australia’s first grid-wide rollout of LED streetlights is expected to begin this month, under plans being put to more than 40 local councils throughout Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter. [ + ]

The Queensland Electrical Safety Office has launched a new electrical safety film: Forever young - Tim’s story. [ + ]

Laser Group, an Australian electrical and plumbing network, has recently announced its new partnership with global leader in technology innovation LG Electronics Australia. The two organisations have joined forces predominantly to provide Australian households and businesses with complete air-conditioning solutions. [ + ]

Ohio State University and Salk Institute researchers have found that - in Siberian hamsters, at least - blue light has the worst effect on mood, followed closely by white light. [ + ]

This year, the Australian Sustainability Conference and Exhibition will co-locate with two other major events: All-Energy and Waste Expo, respectively the country’s largest clean energy and waste management events. [ + ]

Telstra’s announcement that pit remediation work for the NBN will recommence on 19 August has been welcomed by Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese. [ + ]