24th Energy in Western Australia Conference

The clean energy transition is humanity’s biggest ever economic challenge. In his book Powering Up, former Australian chief scientist Alan Finkel shares his insights for leading the way in the global transition to clean energy.

How can we prevent exploitation in the energy transition? What will work look like in a Net Zero future? What role do labour rights and trade unions play in a Just Transition?

For our fifth event in the Perspectives on the Transition series, we are delighted to host our Advisory Board Chair, Sharan Burrow AC! Sharan has previously led the International Trade Union Confederation (the largest trade union in the world) and is a global advocate for just transition.

The transformation required for the energy transition will encompass all facets of society, including how, why and where we work. However, the energy transition also holds the potential to marginalise already disadvantaged groups and further entrench global inequality. In this seminar, Sharan will discuss the importance of sustainable business development and the roles of human rights, employment and justice when it comes to delivering a Net Zero future.

Following the seminar, drinks and light refreshments will be provided for those attending in person.

(Please note: details of livestream will be provided closer to the event)

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Energy in WA 2024 Conference is proud to be partnering with ATCO this year to facilitate a tour of the Clean Energy Innovation Hub located at ATCO’s Jandakot Operations centre. This is a free event but please note that places are strictly limited.

ATCO’s Australian-first Clean Energy Innovation Hub (CEIH) is a testing bed for hybrid energy solutions, designed to showcase the production, storage and use of hydrogen (H2) in micro-grid system applications, including blending with natural gas and in power use.


In addition to funding from the Western Australian Government ($2.9 million) and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency ($1.8 million), ATCO has invested more than $3.3 million in this leading research and development facility at their Jandakot Operations Centre.

The CEIH integrates renewable H2 created by water electrolysis – using solar energy to separate H2 molecules from water. The pure green H2 is captured and injected into a micro-grid system, comprising a H2 Vehicle Refuelling Station (used to refuel ATCO’s fleet of hydrogen vehicles), Blending skid (currently blinding up to 10% H2 into the natural gas distribution network in a pilot project in the City of Cockburn) and H2 Demonstration Home.

About ATCO
ATCO has been a global provider of integrated energy, housing, transportation, and infrastructure solutions for almost 80 years. In Australia, they offer a diverse range of energy and infrastructure services including gas distribution, energy infrastructure, renewables, and clean fuel solutions.

With a firm focus on enabling the transition to a net-zero emissions future, ATCO is pioneering sustainable energy solutions for customers and partners on a national and global scale, investing in the development of clean fuel technologies and expanded renewable energy generation and storage.
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Join us for an evening of networking and insights at the Electric Vehicle Council Member Networking Event hosted by Western Power on Wednesday 14 August 2024.

Explore EV Charging – A Future Look in the West, hear from industry experts and connect and network with EVC Members and industry leaders, including:

• Andrew Blaver, Western Power - Challenges and Opportunities of Storage on Wheels–Building the EV future of WA.‍
• Shona Easton-Gomez, Department of Transport WA - Plugging In: A Look at Electric Vehicle Registration data in WA.‍
• Tony Nunn - Synergy - Electrifying the Future: Trends and Insights in WA’s EV Network Consumption

Agenda

Hear from industry experts and enjoy an opportunity to connect and network. Presentation commences at 2.15pm sharp.

• ‍2.00pm- 2.15pm -  Arrival ‍
• 2.15pm - 3.30pm -  EV Charging – A Future Look in the West Presentations‍
• 3.30pm onwards - Member Networking‍
• 4.00pm - Event concludes

Refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP by 12 August 2024

Keynote

Keynote

The global energy landscape is transforming with geopolitical shifts - notably US-China competition - and climate change. Firms delivering electricity, gas, and related services will navigate a more complex future regulatory and market environment, where policy decisions in one country can have far-reaching international impacts. As countries transition to new energy systems, new political and economic dynamics are emerging, creating both challenges and opportunities for providers and enablers. Firms can adapt by deepening and creating links between government, business, and research entities to anticipate developments and shape holistic policies that address economic, security, community, environmental and other national interests.

The European Union’s Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) is an important and timely development that holds implications for the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and CCS-based carbon dioxide removal. This talk will provide a comprehensive overview of Article 18 of the Act which introduced an unprecedented obligation on EU oil and gas producers to contribute toward the EU’s target of 50 million tonnes of annual CO2 injection capacity to be achieved by 2030. Drawing on these EU developments, together with insights from recent developments in CCS policy in the UK, and the US, this session will draw out lessons, implications, and opportunities for Australia to inform and guide future strategies for carbon management.

Aboriginal participation is essential for the success of Western Australia's energy transition. In this presentation, Dr Kate George will share her perspectives on how this can be best achieved.The presentation will underscore the unique role of Indigenous people as both key stakeholders and rights holders, exploring the critical importance of their inclusion in shaping the future of energy policy and practices. Dr George will discuss the potential for transformative change in areas such as policy, investment, and operational approaches. A key focus will be on the concept of "doing things differently," which involves rethinking traditional frameworks to include benefit sharing and equitable participation.

This presentation talks about key social considerations that continue to affect the scale and pace of the energy transition, the social realities that every organisation working on a project should be aware of and plan for, as well social performance perspectives to overcome social realities.

Topics to be discussed: 

Communication and Trust Building‍

• Misinformation campaigns
• Stakeholder sentiment
• Consultation fatigue

Community Benefits‍

• What does a “benefit” look like?
• Quantifying benefits
• Managing equitable benefit sharing

Achieving Positive Outcomes

• Managing “sound bite” distractions
• Closing the deal
• Delivering on your promises

As in Australia, California is experiencing climate change firsthand, today. Drought, ecosystem stress, intensifying wildfires and winter storms: all are present and compounding each other. This keynote will address how California’s energy ambition – 100% clean energy by 2045 – is both impacted by climate realities, and essential to meeting the climate crisis head-on.

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Topics to be discussed:

• Lessons learned from the Summer of 2023-24
• Planning for uncertainty
• Striking the balance between the unknown and gold-plating
• Navigating a changing climate and recent weather trends

Steve will offer perspectives on the climate change challenge and the energy transformation in a global context. He will also make some observations on outcomes in the new WEM.

Gabrielle will discuss the topic of optimising DER for the transition, the economic benefits of DER integration, and the meta-analysis completed for IEEFA, suggesting a $19bn benefit by 2030 for the NEM. Additionally she will talk to how Integrate to Zero is developing a universal method of calculating these benefits and the work Arup is doing to develop a global benefits number. In relation to driving network services benefits Gabrielle will talk to her work on the IEEFA report on reforming the economic regulation of Australian electricity distribution networks, and will discuss the European and US experiences with DER for network services as a result of this research.

How to deliver benefits for all consumers, drive lower emissions and support a reliable and secure energy system?  As residential and C&I solar installation increase on the SWIS, and a number of wind farms are constructed, the balancing act between generation and storage will continue to be a challenge. Large utility storage facilities being built will not be enough to manage the intermittency of clean energy generation, and the variability of demand. Increases in residential storage and EV mobile storage, and the orchestration of other BTM energy equipment could play a key role in absorbing load or acting as a net generator, as well as providing valuable network support and essential services. Establishing the regulatory framework, ensuring technology delivers required outcomes and enabling consumers to be part of the journey and are no worse off will be the ultimate goal.

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

Venue Details

Venue: Fraser’s Restaurant, Kings Park
Address: 60 Fraser Ave, West Perth, WA 6005
Date: Thursday 11 September 2025
Pre-drinks and Canapés: 6pm and Dinner: 7pm

Last Year's Categories Were:

Energy 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 2024 Awards closed on 15 July 2024 at 11:59pm (AWST). For enquiries, please contact Cleta Blakiston at registrationswa@aie.org.au.

Join Young Energy Professionals and Women in Energy Perth for breakfast on Friday 16th of August as part of the 23rd Energy in Western Australia Conference.

Engage in a panel discussion that talks through the balance between global energy trends and Western Australia’s local needs. The panel will unpack strategies that harmonise these perspectives to foster a sustainable, affordable, reliable energy future. Together, we’ll explore policy and infrastructure solutions that cater to both worldwide shifts and the specific challenges of our region.

This event includes refreshments and continental breakfast.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Consumers vs community expectations of transition: What do consumers expect through the energy transition? Do consumers and the community expect different things? How can the industry meet community and consumer expectations?

The scale of investment necessary to decarbonise the Western Australian energy sector is substantial and coordinating that level of investment is no small task. This panel will discuss the approach to coordination, so the industry has the best chance of harnessing the disruption that is now well underway to meet government and community decarbonisation objectives.

More panelists to be announced shortly.

Synergy’s Chief Executive Officer Dave Fyfe will discuss the pivotal infrastructure projects reshaping WA’s energy landscape and how everyone has a role to play in the state’s $3.8 billion renewable energy transformation.

Horizon Power’s customers are playing a key and growing role in helping us deliver a clean energy future, with reliable, safe and affordable power. By enabling customer energy resources like rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles and smart appliances to work seamlessly with our energy systems, we can deliver clean energy, offer greater customer choice and put downward pressure on power bills.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are crucial for Western Australia's energy transition, balancing reliability, affordability, and sustainability. This presentation will highlight BESS' impact on achieving a clean energy future, addressing opportunities and challenges for stakeholders. It will include insights from local, national, and global projects, covering the WEM, NEM markets, and NWIS and DKIS systems, with a focus on scaling and accelerating BESS initiatives.

This presentation will delve into the Ngarluma Water Desalination Project, a critical enabler of decarbonisation in the Pilbara. Attendees will gain insights into Legacie’s desalination development strategy, exploring the motivations behind it, the key stakeholders involved, and the methodologies employed. The presentation will underscore the importance of value creation through partnerships with Traditional Owners and the true meaning of social value in large infrastructure projects. Finally, it will provide updates on the project's progress, including achievements in land tenure, approvals, partnerships, securing off-takers, and technological advancements.

Hear more about InterContinental Energy's emerging role in the global future fuels market, as well as a focus on their approach to enabling global projects and the key success factors involved. This presentation will include an overview of the direction for AREH and WREH projects in Western Australia, highlighting the formation of WGEH in partnership with the Mirning People. Additionally, the presentation will describe how the Green Hydrogen industry can do more than just produce energy, including managing the balance between climate change mitigation and environmental and cultural protection, and the broader benefits of job creation, regional development, emissions reduction, economic diversification, and new international circular partnerships.

APA and WesCEF are undertaking a feasibility study to assess the viability of large-scale production and transportation of renewable hydrogen to WesCEF’s ammonia production facilities at the Kwinana Industrial Area south of Perth, via the southern section of APA’s existing Parmelia Gas Pipeline (PGP). In this session, Jodie Kimber (WesCEF) and Klaas van Alphen (APA) will present an overview of the Parmelia Green Hydrogen Project. The presentation is followed by a ‘fireside chat’, diving deeper into some of the key learnings from the project to date.

Establishing a 100% renewable electricity system is technically possible, but many commercial challenges remain. This presentation will investigate some of the commercial considerations that will drive the development, production and utilisation of gas and/or alternative fuels in a highly renewable power system in the context of resource rich energy hubs in WA. This study will introduce a concept of capital efficiency considering spilled renewable resource on the supply side and production curtailment on the demand side. What duty cycle do we need gas generation and/or alternative fuels to deliver on reliability objectives? Can demand response be considered an alternative fuel?

In this panel discussion we will explore the challenges in decarbonisation and energy transition, and the potential role of gas at different stages of the transition, for major energy users, power system operators and gas network.