Friday 14 June: Energy Policy Forum (optional day)

Attend Live or Virtual Event

08:30
Welcome Coffee
08:50
Opening remarks from the Chair

Joel Gilmore
General Manager Energy Policy & Planning
Iberdrola Australia

Re-writing the rulebook to ensure a just transition
09:00
Adjusting policy to accelerate the transition
  • Diagnosing the blockages and what works to move things forward
  • Prescribing the policy that incentivises renewable energy projects and smooths the way for transmission
  • Can a renewable energy system be retro-fitted to current structures, or is whole-of-system reorganisation required?

Alex Wonhas
EnergyCo Advisory Board Member
NSW Treasury

09:30
DISCUSSION PANEL: What is best practice for genuine engagement with communities?
  • How should the energy sector build social licence to enable and support the energy transition?
  • What are current benchmarks and how can they be improved?
  • How do we ensure the voices of regional and indigenous communities are heard and acted on?

Moderator:

Sabiene Heindl
Chief Executive Officer
The Energy Charter

Panellists:

Pru Cook
Director
Nine Creeks Consulting

Lee Kingma
Grazier
L & L Kingma, Tumut

Andrew Bray
National Director
RE-Alliance

Joy Thomas
Chair
Ag Energy Taskforce

Chris Croker
Steering Group Member
First Nations Clean Energy Network

10:10
Navigating the transition: the commercial, technical, and regulatory dynamics of integrating clean energy technologies into the power system
  • Fixing the connection process and getting generators connected faster (working with AEMO on the connections reform initiative)
  • Identifying and developing new technical and regulatory solutions, to enhance system security and resilience
  • Refining market frameworks to drive efficient investment in clean energy technologies

Christiaan Zuur
Director of Market, Grid & Investment
Clean Energy Council

10:40
What does more solar generated power do to Australia’s economy?

Magnus Soederberg
Director, Centre of Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research (CAEEPR)
Griffith University

11:00
Morning tea
Assessing how current policy can be sharpened to achieve the goal of a net zero energy system
11:30
Assessing the results of Project Edith, EDGE and Symphony and what these mean for future energy policy
  • Combining the latest technology with innovative economics (dynamic pricing/tariffs) to shape future energy policy
  • Testing the two levers of dynamic operating envelopes and dynamic network tariffs/pricing
  • Harnessing household rooftop solar and battery system resources to improve efficiency and lower energy bills

Nick Regan
Business Lead - Project EDGE
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)

12:00
Ensuring Indigenous communities benefit from renewables and have a voice in developments on country
  • Helping communities to shape the design, development and implementation of clean energy projects
  • Building productive partnerships with industry, investors and government to design projects that ensure benefits are shared and communities are engaged in their planning and design
  • Lifting federal and state regulatory barriers to energy security and clean energy generation
  • Defining cultural sensitivities that need to be respected, particularly regarding transmission

Karrina Nolan
Executive Director
Original Energy

12:30
PANEL DISCUSSION: Do we need to start over, or can existing regulation be adapted to meet the needs of a distributed, renewable energy system?
  • What are the most dysfunctional elements of current regulation and how can they be tackled?
  • Who should be in charge and how can they be equipped to manage national reform?
  • What is the best way to push reform (or wholesale re-writing of energy regulation) to serve the urgency of the transition?
  • Can the existing system provide the best value for the customer and make investing in CER worthwhile for end users?

Moderator:

Renate Vogt
General Manager, Regulation
CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy

Panellists:

Gavin Dufty
Manager Policy and Research
St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria

Rebecca Billings
Commissioner
Essential Services Commission of South Australia | Victorian Essential Services Commission

Christiaan Zuur
Director of Market, Grid & Investment
Clean Energy Council

Elizabeth Molyneux
Deputy Secretary, Energy
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)

13:10
Lunch
Serving consumers with an energy system that meets their needs… and budget
14:00
Taking Australia’s energy advantage seriously
  • What are the real prospects in energy intensive industry?
  • What are industrial users seeing on energy prices, and what do we need?
  • Prioritising energy advantage in planning systems and industry policy

Tennant Reed
Director – Climate Change and Energy
Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)

14:30
Ensuring the energy transition benefits consumers instead of causing suffering
  • What happens if consumers lose all confidence in the transition and current energy system?
  • Identifying the challenges and barriers consumers experience and the specific regulations that stand in the way of a more just energy system
  • Defining policy which could remedy inequities and create a more level playing field for all participants

Brendan French
Chief Executive Officer
Energy Consumers Australia

15:00
PANEL DISCUSSION: How can the energy system be centred around consumers?
  • Is the idea of a consumer-centric energy system a utopian dream, or something achievable?
  • Which specific parts of the transition are causing the most difficulties for households and industry?
  • What reforms could make the biggest difference to consumers?

Moderator:

Lynne Gallagher
Board Member
Australian Energy Regulator (AER)

Panellists:

Kate Symons
Chair and Commissioner
Victorian Essential Services Commission

Brendan French
Chief Executive Officer
Energy Consumers Australia

Nick Regan
Business Lead - Project EDGE
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)

Lesley Walker
Executive General Manager, Customer
Synergy

15:40
Closing remarks from Chair
15:50
End of Energy Policy Forum and Energy Week 2024