NECA will partner with the Safety Show Sydney this year. The Sydney event is the last safety show for 2013 and will be held at the Sydney Showground on 3-5 September. [ + ]

The Fair Work Commission has issued a decision to change a number of award provisions relating to apprentices. Apprentice wages will increase and minimum award rates for adult apprentices will be increased. [ + ]

The Australian Centre for Health Innovation (CHI) and Schneider Electric have reached a partnership agreement that will enable hands-on interaction with Schneider’s intelligent, integrated healthcare technologies. [ + ]

Two new large-scale solar farms will be built in the ACT after Zhenfa Solar and Elementus Energy were announced as the winning bidders of the ACT’s Solar Auction. [ + ]

Improving the energy efficiency of its building portfolio could cut the federal government’s energy expenditure by more than $35 million per year, the GBCA says. [ + ]

ABB’s 500 MW HVDC light interconnection between Ireland and the UK enables leveraging of wind energy and facilitates power flows between the two countries. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]