The API team are proud to showcase the culmination of the 2023 Summer School participants' hard work and learning in the form of their strategic project presentations.
These recorded presentations are an exciting opportunity to witness the innovative ideas and solutions developed by professionals in the power sector during their time in the program.
The strategic project presentations offer a glimpse into the future of the power sector, as participants delve into key industry challenges and present their strategic approaches to overcome them.
Through extensive research, analysis, and collaboration, these professionals have developed actionable plans that address real-world problems and drive positive change.
Watch the recorded presentations from each group (10 in total), who are each responding to 1 of the Strategic Challenge Questions posed by our Executive Insights speakers on the key challenges and opportunities for the Australian power sector.
You will gain insights into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies shaping the power sector. Witness firsthand how these professionals leverage their newfound knowledge and skills to develop innovative solutions that will shape the future of energy.
What are the Challenge Questions and who was in each group?
Group 1: Responding to Brett Redman, CEO, Transgrid challenge question:
“Energy transition will need a large skilled workforce. What do we need to do or solve to build the workforce?”
Group Members:
· Shaya Azizi, Westernpower
· Genevieve Lietz, AEMO
· Ryan Standing, SA Power Networks
· Christina Yee, Aurecon
Group 2: Responding to Kelly Wood, EGM Network Delivery & Services, Ausgrid challenge question:
“What more can we do as an industry to meet customers’ expectations around decarbonisation, distributed energy resource (DER) connectivity, and resilience, while still balancing the need for affordability and cost of living in our supply of electricity.”
Group Members:
· Robert Chang, Powerlink Queensland
· Simon Willis, Redback Technologies
· Ponny Thomas, AEMO
· Alex McKay, TasNetworks
Group 3: Responding to Peter Price, EGM Engineering, Energy Queensland challenge question:
“How do we lead delivery of the transition and ensure we don't lose our social license?
Aka, our customers in our communities lose faith in the energy sector (because of blackouts, or because we leave people behind). There is a widening gap between the haves and the have nots in electricity pricing and the energy transition. How do we support all customer groups, particularly the disadvantaged, so that we all benefit from the transition?”
Group Members:
· Shahpar Ahmed, Transgrid
· Fraser Hampton, SA Power Networks
· Jane Yu, AEMO
· Sanah Al Safadi, Aurecon
Group 4: Responding to Renee Anderson, Executive - People, TasNetworks challenge question:
“The energy transition is going to require significant new investment and infrastructure, in both generation and transmission. The energy ‘Trilemma’ points to the balance between security, affordability, and environmental sustainability. In some instances, the new infrastructure may need to be built in high-value environmental areas, and across private land to be the most reliable and affordable for customers. How do we approach this challenge of balancing the ‘trilemma’ – what trade-offs might need to be made between the three arms of the trilemma?”
Group Members:
· Jieh Loong, Western Power
· Nina Mohseni, AEMO
· Taru Veijalainen, AEMO
· Maryam Hasheminamin, Endeavour Energy
· Paul Cullen, Powerlink
Group 5 - Responding to Scott Ryan, Chief Asset and Operating Officer, Endeavour Energy challenge question:
“Climate change is resulting in more frequent and more severe major events. Our customers endure outages at the time they need power the most. What should we do differently to support our customers? What can we do through elimination, prevention, or response to climate change? And how do we better empower our customers for these events?”
Group Members:
· Matthew Crutchfield, Wilson Transformer Company
· Jessica Jones, Energy Queensland
· Dulani Nanayakkara, WSP
· Justin Pickering, Yurika
· Lauren Tan, Ausgrid
Group 6: Responding to Dr Bill Lilley, Chief Research Officer, RACE for 2030 CRC challenge question:
“As a case study for how organisations better work together to develop and implement the innovations needed to support the energy system transformation in Australia: How do we (the RACE for 2030 CRC) work with industry and university stakeholders to develop a research plan that best satisfies our wide range of stakeholders? Our industrial partners often have short-term pressing issues, and our research partners are often focused on long-term transformative change. What is the best way to balance this tension of immediate vs long-term research needs? Given how extensive and fast change is and will be happening within all our organisations, what do we need to be doing differently to engage with and support the breadth of the power sector workforce? How would you approach this situation and how do we effectively engage with people in roles that don’t traditionally connect with research and innovation?”
Group Members:
· Bianca Christison, AEMO
· Barton Hellyer, Endeavour Energy
· Daena Ho, AEMO
· Andrew Wheatland, SA Power Networks
Group 7: Responding to Margaret Pyrchla, a/Exec Manager Energy Transition and Sustainability, Western Power challenge question:
“Aside from setting climate change targets, what role should the federal/state governments and policymakers play to ensure these targets are met?
What actions can technical professionals in the power sector workforce take to support these roles?”
Group Members:
· Blake Ashton, SA Power Network
· Ben Dufty, Endeavour Energy
· Marcus Excell, TasNetworks
· Inez Zheng, Akaysha Energy
Group 8: Responding to Stewart Bell, Executive General Manager Network and Business Development, Powerlink Queensland challenge question:
“As an industry, we are often saying how we need to do earlier community engagement. So how can we meaningfully involve the community in the planning of energy infrastructure to lead to better siting with regards to social and environmental impacts?”
Group Members:
· Glen Adcock, Energy Queensland
· Katrina Thomlinson, Ausgrid
· Melissa Taylor, TasNetworks
· Ashlee Vuckovic, Western Power
Group 9: Responding to Heidi Sick, Industry Director, Energy - Australia & NZ, Aurecon challenge question:
“Transmission networks are the key enabler for unlocking the next wave of renewable energy generation to decarbonise our energy system, and our economy to avoid catastrophic climate change and price instability. The scale and speed of transformation required is unprecedented. How can we fast-track the build-out of tens of thousands of kilometres of transmission network across the NEM?“
Group Members:
· Dilini Darmawardana, Transgrid
· Meagan Evans, AEMO
· Mo Jafari, TasNetworks
· Myra Nolan, Transgrid
· Deepthi Yogiswara, Energy Queensland
Group 10: Responding to Merryn York, Executive General Manager System Design, AEMO challenge question:
“Most of the Executive Insights speakers have discussed the transition and its challenges – workforce, environment impacts, price outcomes and supporting different customer groups. There are many many aspects that need to come together for the transition to be successful. How do we bring people (communities, landholders and industry) into the challenges of the energy transition in an uncertain environment while recognising decisions need to be made and we need a social licence to implement them?”
Group Members:
· Fiona Isaacson, Transgrid
· Samuel Mayberry, Energy Queensland
· Randy Supangat, Western Power
· Kim Whattler, Western Power
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