energy in wa: opportunities & challenges

22nd Energy in Western Australia Conference

Energy in WA: Opportunties & challenges

24 - 25 August 2023
The Ritz Carlton, Perth
Hon. Bill Johnston addressing conference attendees at The Ritz Carlton, Perth

About Energy Week

Energy Week is an annual program of events brought to you by the Perth branch of the Australian Institute of Energy (AIE) and Energy Policy WA.

The cornerstone event of Energy Week is the annual Energy in WA Conference. Energy Week events are developed by industry, for industry, with the aim of bringing together a diverse group of energy professionals with expert national and international speakers from across the sector, including energy retailers, consultants, energy providers, and government services.

Our events offer the perfect opportunity to network while keeping pace with emerging trends and issues in the sector. A range of in-person and online events ensure there is something for everyone, with several free events also on offer.

when

Monday to Friday
21 to 25 August, 2023

2023 conference

Speakers

We have a great line-up of international, national and local speakers for this year’s Energy in WA Conference, with more speakers to be confirmed soon. Check-out the experts who are confirmed for this year’s inspiring and informative event.

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Hon. Bill Johnston
Hon. Bill Johnston
Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Energy; Corrective Services; Industrial Relations
Parliament of Western Australia
Western Australia

The Hon. Bill Johnston is Western Australia's Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Energy, Corrective Services and Industrial Relations. He has been a Minister for the McGowan Labor Government since

Kohei Toyoda
Kohei Toyoda
Director General for Energy Transformation Strategy
JBIC
Japan

Mr. Kohei Toyoda is Director General for Energy Transformation Strategy, Energy and Natural Resources Finance Group, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) from July 1st 2022 where he is taking charge of global hydrogen and ammonia value chain creation as well as individual finance transactions.

Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan
Executive General Manager WA & Strategy
AEMO
Western Australia

Kate Ryan is responsible for leading the Western Australia function and AEMO’s corporate strategy. Kate joined AEMO in February 2022, and has extensive knowledge and experience built over decades in the energy industry.

Jai Thomas
Jai Thomas
Deputy Director General - Coordinator of Energy
Energy Policy WA
Western Australia

Jai Thomas is the Deputy Director General - Coordinator of Energy, a statutory role that leads Energy Policy WA. As Coordinator of Energy, he is also the designated Hazard Management Agency for disruption to electricity, natural gas or liquid fuel supplies in Western Australia.

Sam Barbaro
Sam Barbaro
CEO
Western Power
Western Australia

Sam was appointed Western Power CEO in August 2022. He has been a member of the Executive team since 2014 serving firstly as the Executive Manager of the Governance & Assurance and then the Executive Manager Asset Operations.

Stephanie Unwin
Stephanie Unwin
CEO
Horizon Power
Western Australia

As Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Power, Stephanie Unwin leads Australia’s only vertically integrated energy utility and is responsible for the largest geographical catchment of any Australian power provider, covering an area more than one quarter of the Australian continent.

Pierluigi Mancarella
Pierluigi Mancarella
Chair Professor of Electrical Power Systems
The University of Melbourne
Victoria

Pierluigi Mancarella is Chair Professor of Electrical Power Systems at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and Professor of Smart Energy Systems at the University of Manchester, UK.

Ruby Heard
Ruby Heard
Electrical engineer and energy consultant
Alinga Energy Consulting
Queensland

Ruby Heard is a versatile and ambitious entrepreneur and electrical engineer with global experience and an affinity for sustainability. She began her career with Arup designing electrical and lighting systems for iconic buildings in Melbourne. In 2015 she transferred to San Francisco to follow her passion into the renewable energy sector, designing complex solar arrays and microgrids for Google campuses. 

Chris Alexander
Chris Alexander
Member
WA Expert Consumer Panel
Western Australia

Chris is a member of the Western Australian Expert Consumer Panel and Market Advisory Panel, where he advocates for consumers on a range of network regulatory, retail market and energy transition issues.

Bethwyn Cowcher
Bethwyn Cowcher
Division Director
Macquarie Group
Western Australia

Supporting the energy transition. Specialties include strategy development, commercial negotiation, renewable projects, gas, electricity, hydrogen, asset sales and acquisitions.

Jacinda Papps
Jacinda Papps
General Manager, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance
Alinta Energy
Western Australia

Jacinda Papps is a regulatory, policy and government relations professional with over 20 years’ experience in energy markets across multiple jurisdictions, including 15 years in Western Australia.

Bobby Ditric
Bobby Ditric
Principal
Lantau Group
Western Australia

Bobby Ditric has over 15 years’ experience in energy sector market operation, reform and development. He has extensive expertise in market design and regulatory instruments for reliability of supply, including capacity mechanisms/markets, scarcity payments, and reserve capacity instruments. He has advised on direct sales transactions frameworks (governance and market design implications) as well as the corresponding market rules and contracting instruments. He has advised commercial, regulatory, and policy stakeholders on crucial market reforms in the Western Australian, Eastern Australian, Northern Territory, Singapore, Peninsular Malaysian, and Oman electricity sectors. Prior to joining TLG he worked in a governmental electricity sector reform unit and before that was involved in the settlement of transactions in the WA Electricity Market (WEM) including review of the associated complex mathematical and financial calculations, verification of energy market data integrity, and troubleshooting market database issues. Bobby holds a BCom from Curtin University, Australia.

Katie McKenzie
Katie McKenzie
Director
EY
Western Australia

Katie is an energy policy, regulation and stakeholder relations specialist pursuing her passion for a clean, consumer-centric energy transition.

Rob Chandler
Rob Chandler
Program Manager
Western Power
Western Australia

Rob Chandler is Program Manager – Access Solutions in the Western Power Customer Decarbonisation business unit. His focus is transmission connected renewables and storage, working with commercial and industrial customers to connect new facilities to the SWIS. Before joining Western Power he was involved in the construction industry, initially onshore commercial and industrial projects before moving to an offshore construction contractor specialising in subsea infrastructure. He has a broad range of experience in construction contracting and project controls with a focus on commercial management.

Sally McMahon
Sally McMahon
Commissioner
AEMC

Sally McMahon is an economist with more than 25 years’ experience in energy and industry reform programs.

Martin Wilkes
Martin Wilkes
Managing Director
RISC

Martin Wilkes is the Managing Director of RISC, an independent International Energy Advisory company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia.

Prof. Yolande Strengers
Prof. Yolande Strengers
Professor
Monash University
Melbourne, Victoria

Yolande Strengers is a digital sociologist and human-computer interaction professor investigating the sustainability, energy and inclusion impacts of digital and smart technologies, including emerging forms of AI.

Energy Week 2023

Agenda & Conference Program

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8:00 am
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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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8:00 am
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2023
2:57 pm
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2:57 pm
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2:58 pm
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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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2:58 pm
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August
2023
8:00 am
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Conference registration opens. Tea and coffee on arrival

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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8:30 am
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Conference opening

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
8:40 am
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Welcome to country

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
8:50 am
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MC Introduction

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
9:05 am
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Ministerial address

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
9:30 am
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The role of hydrogen in Western Australia's energy future

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

TBC

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10:00 am
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The US Inflation Reduction Act - securing opportunities for Western Australia

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Impact on projects, capital and people - opportunity and risks posed by the US Inflation Reduction Act.

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10:30 am
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Morning tea

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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11:00 am
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Private sector investment to meet emission reduction targets

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
11:30 am
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Japan's hydrogen strategy and JBIC's financing support

Conference
International
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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Mr. Toyoda will share information on the latest hydrogen strategy of Japan including Kishida Administration’s Green Transformation policy and upcoming revised Basic Hydrogen Strategy. He will also explain JBIC’s approach to promote the government’s strategy including seamless financing supports from upstream to downstream utilising various financial tools for a global value chain development, as well as JBIC’s mid-term business plan, new finance facility and establishment of dedicated teams.

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12:00 pm
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Energy Transition and Energy Security- Can we have both?

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Martin Wilkes will discuss the achievements made in reducing energy poverty around the world and look at how reducing emissions may impact our ability to continue to provide the sustained and increasing demands of energy supply.

As we transition away from carbon intensive energy production to low and zero emissions technologies, what are the issues that have already been discovered, and can we mitigate these whilst still reducing emissions? The presentation will provide examples of progress made, known issues, and open discussion for debate around mitigation options and future choices.

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12:25 pm
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Lunch

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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1:25 pm
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Technologies and business models to support the transformation

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Panel discussion
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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

The energy transformation involves greater decentralisation of energy generation and changing patterns of energy consumption. From virtual power plants, new battery technologies, to vehicle to grid solutions, our panellists will discuss how these technologies can help transform our power system, reduce energy costs and lower emissions from the energy sector.

Meet our confirmed panelist (more TBC)
2:25 pm
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Coordinating toward a net zero future

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Jai Thomas will discuss the State’s Energy Transformation Strategy and the pathway to a highly renewable future, which requires balancing reliability, affordability and the State’s emission reduction ambitions. From remote areas to the middle of our cities, Jai will take you through the energy transformation requirements across our large state and its varied supply arrangements as we continue to work toward net zero by 2050.

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2:50 pm
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Afternoon tea

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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3:10 pm
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Synergy's decarbonisation strategy

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

TBC

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3:35 pm
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Transitioning with consumers front-and-centre

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

The energy transformation is progressing at pace, as we strive to achieve our emissions targets while making the most of technological advancements.  Consumers are at the core of all energy services, but how well are we considering their expectations during the transition?  Many programs are seeking for consumers to play a role in providing services to help us decarbonise and manage power system security and reliability, but does this allow consumers to participate equitably?  Chris Alexander will discuss the need for a consumer centric energy transition pathway in the context of a diverse customer base and ambitious industry goals.

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4:00 pm
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Lessons for the new market

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

As the SWIS prepares to go-live with co-optimised energy and essential system service markets in October this year, Bobby Ditric will draw from the experience of other such markets in the region to provide operational and commercial insights.

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4:25 pm
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Cyber security threats (and opportunities?) in Australia's energy sector

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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4:50 pm
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Closing remarks

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
6:00 pm
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10:00 pm

Energy in WA Awards Dinner

Awards Dinner
Awards Dinner
Awards Dinner
Awards Dinner

Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Join us for a memorable evening as we wine, dine and celebrate the people behind Western Australia’s energy sector. Organised by the Australian Institute of Energy Perth, this is our seventh celebration of excellence.

The AIE Energy in WA Awards Dinner is included in the 2-day conference ticket. Alternatively, if you are not attending the conference, you can purchase tickets to the AIE Energy in WA Awards Dinner. Ticket sales will be opening shortly. Sign up to our newsletter (via the Register your interest button below) and follow us on LinkedIn to get notified when tickets go on sale.

Venue Details

Venue: Fraser’s Restaurant, Kings Park
Address: 60 Fraser Ave, West Perth, WA 6005
Date: Thursday 25 August 2023
Pre-drinks: 6pm and Dinner: 7pm

2023 Categories

Energy Professional of the Year
Woman Professional of the Year
Young Energy Professional of the Year (35 and under)
Energy Innovation of the Year
Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Energy

Nominations for the 2023 Awards close on 17 July 2023. For enquiries, please contact Benjamin Meakins at registrationswa@aie.org.au.

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Proudly sponsored by

The City of Perth is very proud to sponsor this year’s WA Energy Awards Dinner highlighting outstanding performance across the state and reinforcing Perth as global leader across the energy sector.

7:00 am
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9:00 am

Women in Energy & Young Energy Professionals Breakfast

Breakfast
Breakfast
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Breakfast

Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Check back here for details which are TBC.

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9:00 am
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MC Introduction

Conference
Conference
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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
9:05 am
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Commonwealth Energy Policy

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

TBC

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9:30 am
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Alternatives to transmission investment

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
10:00 am
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Investment challenges in renewables

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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10:30 am
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Morning tea

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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11:00 am
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Transitioning away from gas: A case study in Esperance

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

In late 2021, the local Esperance community were faced with a significant challenge.  Its local gas distribution and retailer was exiting the market. With no viable prospects for a replacement provider, Horizon Power and the WA Government swung into action. What resulted was the electrification of a regional community in 14 months, and during a world-wide pandemic!  Esperance may have been the first, but it won’t be the last community to make this transition. Horizon Power’s Stephanie Unwin will share the successes and lessons learnt from this exciting project.

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11:30 am
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Decision making in uncertain times

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Panel discussion
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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
12:30 pm
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Lunch

Conference
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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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1:30 pm
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First Nations Energy Strategy – Maximising opportunities for WA First Nations communities and businesses through energy

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

As Western Australia rapidly transitions to renewable energy, large areas of First Nations land will be required to support the shift. This creates opportunities for new First Nations economic development and for jobs, businesses and the economy. Many First Nations communities also experience significant energy insecurity and are on the forefront of climate change. The First Nations Clean Energy Network was launched to bring together communities, industry and government to help get the settings right and to ensure First Nations participate in and benefit from the renewable energy transition. A year after the announcement of the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy - a commitment by all Australian Energy Ministers under the Commonwealth's National Energy Transformation Partnership - this presentation will consider emerging trends and discuss opportunities for industry and governments to build First Nations' partnerships in renewable energy transition.

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1:55 pm
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Industry decarbonisation

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

TBC

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2:20 pm
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Energy efficiency - it's still the low hanging fruit!

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

TBC

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2:45 pm
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Afternoon tea

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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3:05 pm
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Opportunities in wind

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Panel discussion
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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.

Western Australia is fortunate to have some of the best onshore and offshore wind resources in the world, much of which remains undeveloped.  With the industry rapidly evolving and demand for new renewables continuing to grow developers, contractors and investors need to keep pace.

Our panellists will discuss the challenges and opportunities for wind development in WA, including accommodating bigger and bigger turbines, evolving construction techniques, onshore and offshore construction, land access and 3rd party permitting and approvals.

4:05 pm
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Closing remarks

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Event details coming soon.

Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
4:10 pm
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Closing cocktail function

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Events will be added as the Energy Week program develops. Register your interest and we'll keep you updated on Energy Week events, speakers and news.
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FAQs

Have a question that we haven't answered in our FAQs? 

Can I share my ticket with a colleague?

Yes. Your ticket is entirely transferable. You can attend your favourite sessions and then hand your pass to a colleague to attend theirs. Just remember, only one person per ticket for each session.

Can I cancel my ticket?

We accept cancellation requests 1 month prior to the conference with a $110 administration fee. No refunds are provided within 30 days of the conference.

I’d like to present at the Conference, or I know someone who I’d like to recommend.

Excellent! Please reach out to the Conference Organiser, The Association Specialists at conference@energywa.org.au with your idea.

Are there discounts?

Yes! We also offer discounts for AIE members. Please see our tickets page for more information.

Can I bring a partner/friend to the Conference dinner?

Yes. Individual tickets can be purchased for the Conference dinner. Please see our tickets page for more information.

2023 Conference sponsors
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