8:00 Registration & Morning Coffee

9:00 EVENT OPENING
Alexandra Bennet, Conference Director, Informa

9:05 Opening remarks from the Chair
Amy Kean, Partner, Stride Renewables

9:10 Update on New South Wales REZ
Mark Westbrook, Chief Project Officer, EnergyCo

9:35 Progress on Victoria’s Renewable Energy Zones
Adele McCarthy, Executive Director Strategy & Planning, VicGrid

10:00 Q&A
Mark Westbrook, Chief Project Officer, EnergyCo
Adele McCarthy, Executive Director Strategy & Planning, VicGrid

10:20 PANEL DISCUSSION | Policies, regulations, and state/local initiatives – A critical role in shaping the development and success of REZ
Jacqui Fenwick, Policy and Regulation Expert, Baringa Partners
Chester Li, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Potentia Energy
Emma Fishburn, Senior Managing Director, Energy Advisory, FTI Consulting
Moderator: Amy Kean, Partner, Stride Renewables

10:50 Networking and refreshment break

11:25 PANEL DISCUSSION | Investment & Financing: Valuable insights, opportunities, risks and what can be done about project cost rises & blow outs?
Joshua Baker, Director, Capella Capital
Paul Peters, CEO, Energy Security Corporation
Mark Westbrook, Chief Project Officer, EnergyCo
Moderator: Amy Kean, Partner, Stride Renewables

11:55 Regulatory fragmentation with REZ policy
Geoff Petersen, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin

12:25 Investments in Renewable Energy Zones: Insights, Challenges, and Opportunities
Stephanie Bashir, Principal & Founder, Nexa Advisory

12:55 Welcome from our Lunch Sponsor AusNet
Jon D'Sylva, Chief Development Officer, AusNet

1:00 Networking and lunch break Sponsored by: AusNet

1:50 PANEL DISCUSSION | Data Centre Precincts – Co-locating Data Centres with Wind, Solar & Battery Projects in Renewable Energy Zones (REZs)
Tom McMahon, Partner, Mandala Partners
Thomas Gao, Senior Manager, Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer
Moderator: Amy Kean, Partner, Stride Renewables

2:20 Cost control: Insights into proven ways and lessons learned in Energy Infrastructure Design and Construction
Renene Windsor, Industry Director, Transmission & Distribution, Aurecon

2:50 PANEL DISCUSSION | Transmission Congestion and Curtailment: Challenges and solutions
Doug Thomson, Head of Strategic Network Planning & Development, Transgrid
Aydin Kizilirmak, Head of Grid, Design and Approvals, Potentia Energy
Daniel Sartor, Head of Major Projects | Transmission Development & Growth, Ausgrid
Moderator: Amy Kean, Partner, Stride Renewables

3:20 Networking and refreshment break
Chair - Luke Osborn, Partner, Stride Renewables

3:50 Collaboration – Working with Traditional Owners for Transition
Scott Franks, CEO, Yarrawalk Pty Ltd / Wonnarua Traditional Owner

4:10 PANEL DISCUSSION | Empowering First Nations Communities: Delivering genuine value and inclusion
Matt Moncrieff, National First Nations Engagement Manager, ACCIONA Energia
Jess Kite, Head of Community and Regional Development, Squadron Energy
Shai Richardson, First Nations Officer, Ausgrid
Moderator: Luke Osborn, Partner, Stride Renewables

4:40 BESS’s and their interplay with REZ development: Enhancing stability, reliability, resilience and security
Victoria Mollard, Executive General Manager, Economics and System Security, Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC)

5:10 CLOSING | Closing remarks

5:15 – 6:15 Networking drinks

8:15 Registration & Morning Coffee

9:00 OPENING
Alexandra Bennet, Conference Director, Informa

9:05 Opening remarks from the Chair
Joanna Stevens, Managing Director, Premier Strategy

9:10 Aligning infrastructure delivery with community value, enhancing business certainty and strengthening regional outcomes
Greg Ley, Founding CEO and Director, Lecroma

9:40 PANEL DISCUSSION | Building Capacity and Skills
Anthea Middleton, CEO, Powering Skills Organisation
Jessica Brown, Director Strategy Partnerships and Engagement, Dubbo Regional Council
Moderator: Joanna Stevens, Managing Director, Premier Strategy

10:10 The Iron Law of Mega Projects – a post mortem on some famous projects and some lessons for your REZ
Andrew Murdoch, Chief Executive Officer, Arche Energy and BESS Auto

10:40 FIRESIDE CHAT | Housing for renewable project workers – Is integration is the key?
Jeff Drayton, Mayor, Muswellbrook Shire Council
Joanna Stevens, Managing Director, Premier Strategy

11:10 Networking and refreshment break

11:40 PANEL DISCUSSION | Urban REZ (UREZ) – Turning cities into a Renewable Energy Zones and self-sufficient energy hubs
Riza Tolentino, Strategic Planning and Forecasting Manager, Endeavour Energy
Dr Scott Dwyer, Associate Professor and Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF), University of Technology Sydney
Steve Lewis, Project Director - Community Power Network, Ausgrid
Moderator: Joanna Stevens, Managing Director, Premier Strategy

12:10 Circular Economy Materials Management Plan for energy projects
Hayley Rolfe, Technical Director – Sustainability Advisory, GHD

12:40 The power of early decisions: Digital ecosystem brings biodiversity insights into infrastructure corridor planning
Martin Russell, Director, Environment & Planning, Aurecon
Vivian Hamilton, Offsets Program Manager, Transgrid

1:10 Networking and Lunch break Sponsored by: AusNet

1:50 Conservation investment strategies and biodiversity offsets
Dr Louisa Mamouney, Executive Director, Conservation Planning and Offsets, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

2:20 Strategic Offset Delivery Agreements: Opportunities & benefits for landholders, communities and biodiversity
Jacqui Fetchet, Special Counsel, EnergyCo

2:50 Creating long-term social value for communities in renewable energy zones
Claudia Hodge, Project Manager - Community Development, Community Power Agency

3:20 CLOSING | Closing remarks from the Chair & Close of Conference