Australian Energy Conference will look at case studies of Coal Seam Gas projects, models of operation, regulations, infrastructure, renewable energy sources and developments in energy technologies. Australian Energy Conference will discover what the key issues are currently in the energy industry and how to tackle them to ensure sustainability and investment for the future.

Day One- Monday 24th September 2012

8:30    Registration and morning coffee and tea

9:00    Opening remarks from the Chair

9:10    Executive Keynote: Reviewing the energy landscape in New South Wales and its potential for further development

This introductory keynote will provide a summary of the energy market in New South Wales and its potential for further development.  We will look at the key development and policy related criteria needed to build an energy future for New South Wales

    Andrew Lewis, Executive Director, Energy NSW

Exploring Australia’s Carbon Reduced Future and it’s Opportunities

9:50    Evaluating the Australian Power landscape and how the carbon price is shaping our energy future

• Examining the need for policy certainty in relation to carbon and renewable energy
• Comparing  Australia’s emission reduction policy with other countries
• Analysing pricing trends in the industry and where it will be headed with the onset of carbon pricing
• Looking at Australia’s predominantly coal based industry and how carbon pricing will affect it

Tim Nelson, Head of Sustainability, AGL Energy

10:30    Morning tea and networking

11:00    Exploring your energy options with The Energy White Paper and the implications on the Energy industry

• Addressing the challenges in the Energy sector and how to maintain competitiveness
• Discovering the benefits of Australia’s new energy policy framework
• Examining technology costs across energy sources to establish future technology needs
• How are prices shaping the type of energy we use?

Tim Reardon, Executive Director, National Generators Forum

11:40     Panel Discussion: Discovering the key risks and opportunities in the retail market in the low carbon energy transition

• Evaluate What The Carbon Price demands from you, it’s implications, opportunities and challenges
• Understanding what are the implications of new policy to business development and growth
• Knowing what to be aware of, where the risks lay
• Analysing the impacts of rising network costs in transmission and distribution
• Efficiently building new business models on support and use, picturing what the future retailer will look like

Chair: Cameron O’ Reilly, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Retailers Association of Australia

Rob Cawthorne, Managing Director, Carbon Reduction Institute

12:20    Networking Lunch

1:20    Exploring the direction of future energy costs and generation options from a large energy consuming industry perspective

• Preparing for future energy costs  by analysing wholesale energy costs, carbon, environmental schemes and network costs
• Addressing the energy challenge for large consumers and planning for future energy generation investments
• Learn how to effectively identifying the risks and opportunities in a large scale sustainable operation
• Examining effective delivery of sustainable operations to increase productivity

Royce DeSousa, General Manager -Energy and Sustainability, Visy

Understanding the Importance of CSG as a Sustainable Energy Source of Australia

2:00    Case Study: How to overcome barriers of licensing for CSG and bring shared land use solutions to fruition

This session will examine Dart Energy’s received approval to drill wells at Fullerton Cove to supply coal seam gas for a $65m glasshouse project. It will examine processes of gaining and maintaining a social licence in CSG projects. It will touch upon how coal seam gas developments can co-exist with alternative productive land uses such as agriculture and showcase how a CSG project can enhance food production in a very sustainable way.

Andrew Collins, External Relations Manager, Dart Energy

2:40    Afternoon tea and networking

Planning around our Landscape for Increased Productivity

3:10    Paving the way to a positive relationship between the resources sector and agriculture for a sustainable future

• Address the need for planning, research and regulation of CSG in New South Wales
• Assessing the challenges and risks of the CSG industry in New South Wales
• Understanding a fresh approach to land access and overcoming barriers
• Analysing if the CSG industry can win back confidence in the agricultural sector

Brianna Casey, Policy Director Environment, New South Wales Farmers Association

3:50        Examining Recent developments in state and federal water policy and uncovering the implications for mining in New South Wales

• Understanding federal water policy and how it impacts the Energy Industry of Australia
• Highlighting state water policy and implementing water sharing plans
• Explore the effects of recent policy developments on mining in New South Wales

Arti Brown, Policy Manager- Environmental Impacts and Water, New South Wales Minerals Council

4:30    Closing remarks from the Chair

4:40    End of Day One
    

DAY TWO – Tuesday 25th September 2012

8:30    Morning coffee and tea
9:00    Opening remarks from the chair
Roy Ranney, New South Wales Regional Manager, Energy Users Association of Australia

Renewable Strategies for the Future of Sustainable Australia

9:10    Case Study: Assessing the national GreenPower accreditation program looking into the past, present and future

• Exploring a government accredited program which enables energy providers to purchase renewable energy on behalf of the customer.
• Learn how this initiative has helped develop new infrastructure in the renewable energy sector  
• Looking to the future of renewable energy investments

        Gary Eisner, Program Manager, GreenPower

9:50    Case Study: Explore solutions in financing solar energy through the innovation cycle to ensure sustainability

• Looking at a case study on a United States and Australia strategic research and development collaboration
• Analysing the barriers and risks to effective delivery of solar projects
• Mobilising public and private capital for innovative financing solutions
• Discovering  opportunities through the Australian Government’s Clean Energy package
• Understanding financing challenges at different stages of solar technology development

Olivia Coldrey, Investment Director, Australian Solar Institute

10:30    Morning Tea and networking

11:00    Case Study: Comparing global low carbon energy trends and the example Australia can take

• Discovering what are some key leading developments in Low Carbon Energy globally
• How does Australian Low Carbon Policy sit in the global context
• Explore what lessons can be drawn for Australia, and where are the opportunities

Tim Buckley, Portfolio Manager, Arkx Investment Management

Discovering wind Power developments and opportunities for Australia

11:40    Exploring where the opportunities lie for Wind Power in Australia as a sustainable energy source

• Understanding the opportunity of new investment from wind energy for the state
• How Wind Energy can create economic growth and create regional jobs
• Analysing how to overcome planning restrictions for Wind farms

Warwick Forster, Energy Markets Manager, Union Fenosa Wind Australia

12:20    Networking Lunch

1:20    Case Study: Comparing South Australia’s Journey in Wind Energy and applying it to other states

This case study will examine the increase of wind power generation in South Australia. Analysing the obstacles in permitting and land management. Discussing solutions to barriers and growth of wind energy as a sustainable source for Australia

    Luke Osborne, General Manager Australia, Windlab Systems

Grasping the strategies of sustainability in Energy Infrastructures

2:20    Assessing the Critical importance of the integration of renewable energy into electricity grids for the future

• Addressing where the potential challenges and downfalls are and how to learn from them
• Analysing smart systems and software needed to control electrical functions deeper in the grid
• Looking at the need to streamline infrastructure operations to increase efficiency and dependability

Dr. Glenn Platt, Team Leader for Local Energy Systems, CSIRO

3:00    Afternoon tea and networking

3:30    Case Study: Exploring how City of Sydney is implementing and verifying energy conservation measures

• Explore how to take the steps towards an efficiency upgrade
• Analysing the processes for designing and implementing energy conservation measures
• Understanding the measurement and verification process for a $7 million efficiency upgrade

Steve Castell, Project Manager, City of Sydney
Getting to grips with Skills Shortages in Various Regions of Australia

4:10    Overcoming the issues of skill shortages in remote areas of the Energy Industry to invest for the future

• Indentifying specific skill set shortages in regional Australia
• Looking at strategies to address the problem
• Comparing the workforce demands around Australia

Gavin Shearing, Business Development and Planning Manager, Horizon Power

4:50    Closing remarks from the chair

DAY THREE - Wednesday 26 September 2012

9:00-12:00 Workshop A: Heatmapping the value chain - making embodied carbon visible to identify risk and opportunity

This interactive workshop addresses the concerns of implementing The Clean Energy Legislation effectively. Attendees will look at what strategies and skill sets need to be utilised in order to excel in a carbon restrained economy. Participants will:

• Understand techniques for analysing an organisation's value chain, up and downstream from its own operations
• Identifying the opportunities and value presented by this value chain intelligence
• Learn processes of leveraging business advantage in the context of participants' own organisations/businesses/products
• Analyse how to avoid potential downfalls and risks emerging from the new legislation
• Looking at future opportunities to further reduce carbon output and stay ahead in the industry

Justin Wynn, Director, Carbon Business

(Lunch is provided for delegates attending both workshops)

1:00-4:00 Workshop B: Reviewing the Economic Opportunities for Coal Seam Gas Projects

This workshop will look at the risks and opportunities for Coal Seam Gas Projects. Attendees will discuss the industry concerns and the associated costs and implications. Participants will:

• Discover the economy wide implications of the development of coal seam gas in the medium to longer term
• Look at planning ahead for sound CSG investments with effective exploration and risk analysis
• Understand what are the Industry, community and regional implications of CSG developments in New South Wales
• Learn to prepare for likely implications for employment and skills in CSG industry
• Explore into the trade off between gas development and agricultural production, water and the environment and how to overcome these challenges

Kerry Barwise, Director, The Allen Consulting Group