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Energy Infrastructure & Community Engagement Conference

Engaging Communities for a Cleaner Energy Future

12-13 November 2024 | Swissotel Sydney

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overview

Building on the success and growing industry support of our 2023 standout conference, the Energy Infrastructure & Community Engagement Conference 2024 returns on the 12-13 November 2024 at the Swissotel, Sydney.

With the rapid rollout of renewable and clean energy infrastructure to fast-track the national net-zero goals, social license and community engagement has become a crucial factor for energy companies to accelerate projects. Community engagement is essential for developing and operating new energy infrastructure, including transmission lines, onshore and offshore wind farms, solar, hydrogen and storage, to ensure greater transparency between communities and the industry.

The Energy Infrastructure & Community Engagement Conference will bring together industry and community leaders to address key issues and develop effective solutions that will drive the path towards net zero. This event is a valuable opportunity to learn about the latest insights and best practices to effectively engage and benefit local communities, build trust, and achieve project success.

Topics will include:

  • Government role, reforms, and initiatives
  • The importance of early and ongoing community engagement in the development of new energy infrastructure projects
  • Best practices for effective community engagement, including building trust, transparency, collaboration and open communication
  • Case studies of successful community engagement initiatives for new energy infrastructure projects, highlighting the challenges and opportunities involved
  • Key learnings from previous projects and the value of tailoring engagement strategies to the needs of different communities
  • First Nations and Traditional Owner Engagement
  • Measuring the success of community engagement efforts is important for ensuring that projects meet communities’ needs.
  • The future of community engagement in the energy sector

It is upon us all in the energy sector to build the relationships…and the social licence…that enables the infrastructure that enables the energy transition to serve all Australians.
– Daniel Westerman, AEMO, May 2023

Social license for energy infrastructure is critical to ensuring the transformation of Australia’s grid is as smooth as possible and not enough attention has been paid to getting this right.
– Minister Chris Bowen, July 2022

Effective community consultation and engagement is essential for large-scale renewable energy and transmission projects to gain widespread support and earn the ‘social license’ to operate within the community.
– Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner

When it comes to transmission, social licence is the most important issue we have to face. A near-total rebuild of the grid comes with challenges, particularly for the communities where projects will be built.
– Minister Chris Bowen, May 2023 – Financial Review

Speakers

James Hay

Chief Executive, EnergyCo

Alistair Parker

Chief Executive Officer, VicGrid Division, Energy Group, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

David Wilson

Head of Community Engagement, EnergyAustralia

Erin Mulquiny

Community Benefits Lead, Acciona Energía

Sabiene Heindl

Chief Executive Officer, The Energy Charter

Zoe Kemp

Director, Community Benefits, Energy, Department of Energy and Climate, Queensland Government

Matt Baumgurtel

Partner, New Energy Lead Hamilton Locke

Matt Moncrieff

Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Octopus Investments Australia

Andrew Bray

National Director, RE-Alliance

Jasmine Kerameas

Community Engagement Manager, Akaysha Energy

Merri Bartlett

Community Engagement Manager, ENGIE

Kelly Wood

Group Executive, Transmission, Development & Growth, Ausgrid

Jon Mussared

Senior Project Manager, ElectraNet

Chris Warr

Leader Major Projects Engagement, TasNetworks

Mark Lindsay

A/Head of Communications and Community Engagement, Marinus Link

Dominic Luddy

Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Acciona Energía

Margaret Harvie

Director, Community Engagement, PlanCom Consulting

Emma Vogel

Executive Director, AusNet

Maryanne Graham

Executive General Manager Corporate & Stakeholder Affairs, Transgrid

Ailiche Goddard-Clegg

Social Licence, Communication and Engagement Coordinator, Hycel Technology Hub, Deakin University

Michael Pilbrow

Director and Chairman, Strategic Development Group

Michael Frangos

Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Energy Australia

John McCormack

General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, AGL Australia

Esther Diffey

Technical Director - Social Performance (APAC), SLR Consulting

Professor Roberta Ryan

Director of the Institute for Regional Futures, Institute for Regional Futures, University of Newcastle

Dr Simon Wright

Senior Research Fellow, Energy & Circularity, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University

Amy Kean

Partner, Stride Renewables

Kate Kernaghan

Company Director, Factotum, IAP2 Australasia

Kath Elliott

Head of Stakeholder and Community Engagement, Squadron Energy

Terry Chapman

General Manager Project Deliver, APA Group

Agathe Gross

Executive General Manager, Energy, Water and Renewables, Ventia

Dr Kieren Moffat

CEO & Co-founder, Voconiq

Ahmad Attar-Bashi

Director, Transmission, EDF

Agenda

9:00 am

OPENING | Opening remarks from the Chair

Esther Diffey, Technical Director - Social Performance (APAC), SLR Consulting

9:05 am

Welcome to Country

9:15 am

⦁ Social licence through community engagement
⦁ Community and Employment Benefit Program
⦁ Empowering businesses and local councils in Renewable Energy Zones
⦁ Partnering with landowners and industry

9:40 am

Development of Renewable Energy Zones in Victoria and initiatives to engage with communities

Alistair Parker, Chief Executive Officer, VicGrid Division, Energy Group, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

10:05 am

Two different ‘energy hubs’. Engaging and working with communities to fast-track the energy transformation

John McCormack, General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, AGL Australia

Andrew Bray, National Director, RE-Alliance

10:30 am

Networking and morning refreshment break

11:00 am

Trangrid’s initiatives on working and engaging with communities to develop energy projects

Maryanne Graham, Executive General Manager Corporate & Stakeholder Affairs, Transgrid

11:20 am

⦁ Explore how engagement strategies might differ when you are already embedded in the community.
⦁ Examine the role of energy distributors in achieving net zero goals
⦁ Consider how customer engagement insights and strategies could be effectively applied to renewable energy initiatives

11:40 am

  • How can we leverage the learnings around community engagement from mega transport projects and other complex infrastructure?
  • How can we bring in international know-how and best practice and link this with Australian organisations to deliver this huge program of work?
  • How can we capitalise on the valuable skills legacy and extensive supply chain network developed through other infrastructure projects across Australia?
  • How can we ensure short and long-term benefits flow to the communities hosting new energy infrastructure?

12:20 pm

  • The energy transition is dependent on securing and maintaining social licence to operate, particularly within impacted communities
  • Quantitative understanding of the conditions for acceptability from Queensland and New South Wales will be presented, utilising outputs from Voconiq Local Voices community data collected in both locations
  • Practical and impactful uses of this data will be discussed in the context of facilitating a just and efficient transition to meet renewable energy targets

12:30 pm

Lunch and networking break

1:30 pm

⦁ Although there is high public support to transition from coal, the support for the infrastructure required declines in areas close to developments, why is this so and what can be done about this?
⦁ How can we work with affected communities in a more collaborative manner?
⦁ How can industry and governments work through these complex issues on the ground to meet transition targets?
⦁ What can be done ‘on the ground’ to move the transition forward and work towards equity in outcomes?

1:50 pm

⦁ EnergyAustralia is lighting the way when it comes to community engagement on energy infrastructure projects
⦁ How do we explain the energy transition to set ourselves up for success.
⦁ Looking at how the energy transformation isn’t just about new infrastructure, but how do we repurpose former generation sites

2:10 pm

⦁ ElectraNet’s Eyre Peninsula Link – a project spanning 270 kilometres from Cultana to Port Lincoln in regional South Australia
⦁ ElectraNet’s engagement with Traditional Owners, the Barngarla people. Showcasing how the project, which won the South Australia Premier’s Awards in Energy and Mining – Community Category, integrates cultural heritage monitoring and community involvement into its development
⦁ EPLink’s impact on community empowerment and sustainable infrastructure.

2:30 pm

⦁ Community perspectives reflected in the AEIC Community Engagement Review
⦁ Qld Renewable Energy Code: human centred co-design process
⦁ Mandatory elements + Better Practice opportunities
⦁ Trust through accountability + transparency
⦁ Opportunities through the Renewable Developer Accreditation Scheme

2:55 pm

Akaysha Energy’s key initiatives to working and engaging with the community to develop energy projects, key learnings

Jasmine Kerameas, Community Engagement Manager, Akaysha Energy

3:15 pm

Networking and afternoon refreshment break

3:50 pm

⦁ Demonstrate to demystify hydrogen – a case study into Hycel’s strategic communication and engagement approach
⦁ How the hydrogen conversation with community has evolved from 2020-2023
⦁ Whether a community leader approach to hydrogen social licence can mitigate risk

4:10 pm

⦁ Importance of proactive community engagement in energy projects
⦁ Strategies for effectively gathering and addressing community feedback
⦁ Utilising technology and innovative platforms for community involvement
⦁ Case studies on successful transformation of complaints into solutions
⦁ The role of regulatory bodies in promoting meaningful community engagement
⦁ Addressing community concerns and incorporating feedback into project design and implementation

4:50 pm

Closing remarks from the Chair

5:00 pm

Networking Function

9:00 am

OPENING | Opening remarks from the Chair

Senior Representative, GHD,

9:10 am

OPENING KEYNOTE |

9:30 am

⦁ Exploring community insights and feedback on Queensland’s renewable energy transition
⦁ Examining the alignment between community expectations and achieving Queensland’s renewable energy targets
⦁ Collaborating with industry, peak bodies, and regional representatives to secure better community outcomes

9:50 am

⦁ Strategies for engaging and consulting with the community in the planning and development of energy infrastructure projects.
⦁ Exploring the role of education and outreach in building trust and fostering positive relationships
⦁ Highlighting the economic and social benefits and how to effectively communicate these benefits
⦁ Best practices for transparent communication between energy companies and local communities
⦁ Addressing environmental and public health considerations in energy infrastructure development and the importance of proactive community involvement in these matters.

10:30 am

⦁ Why co-design community benefits sharing programs?
⦁ Working with a youth panel
⦁ The engagement challenge

10:50 am

Networking and morning refreshment break

11:20 am

  • Respect and Meaningful Consultation – Cultural Sensitivity and Acknowledgment and Informed Consent and Ongoing Dialogue
  • Partnership and Collaboration – Co-Design and Co-Management
  • Transparency and Accountability – Open Communication and Accountability Mechanisms

11:40 am

⦁ Best practices for consultation and engagement with First Nations and Traditional Owners
⦁ Examples of successful partnerships between energy companies and Indigenous communities
⦁ Strategies for incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into energy development plans
⦁ Opportunities for economic development and job creation through Indigenous participation in the energy sector

12:20 pm

Powering Social License with Data-Driven Decision Making

Erin Mulquiny, Community Benefits Lead, Acciona Energía

12:40 pm

  • an analysis of recent projects that have adopted new models which promise substantial, long-term revenue and community benefits;
  • how to strike a balance between competing tensions, including:
    • community participation v developer (and financier) control;
    • economic benefits v genuine engagement; and
    • competing community interests;
  •  how legal structures can be used to achieve the optimal level of community engagement; and
  • trends and next steps from a legal perspective.

1:00 pm

Lunch and networking break

2:00 pm

⦁ Focusing on a major ENGIE renewable energy project in the NSW South West Renewable Energy Zone – The Plains Renewable Energy Park
⦁ Highlighting the importance of early and sustained community engagement in the development of new energy infrastructure projects
⦁ Discussing community engagement strategy for the project, exploring best practice and key learnings.

2:20 pm

⦁ Connecting across the states – Tasmania / Victoria (and across Bass Strait)
⦁ Understanding your communities, their strengths and differences, and the shared opportunities of a major project
⦁ Meeting multiple jurisdictional needs and finding your project message

2:40 pm

PANEL DISCUSSION | Empowering Communities: Best Practices to Fast-Track the Energy Transition

Kath Elliott, Head of Stakeholder and Community Engagement, Squadron Energy

Richard Payne, Engagement, Communications and Communities Lead ACT SNSW PNG, GHD

Dr Kieren Moffat, CEO & Co-founder, Voconiq

3:20 pm

Closing remarks from the Chair & END OF CONFERENCE

Sponsors

Supporting Sponsor Barista Coffee Sponsor Technology Showcase Sponsor

exhibitors

Pricing

Packages Price
Package(Two Days)$3950+GST
Virtual Pass$2500+GST

Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities

Reconnect and re-engage with your industry peers at the Energy Infrastructure & Community Engagement Conference.

There are many opportunities for networking including social events such as networking drinks, refreshment breaks and lunches, making this not just a conference… but an all encompassing industry “experience”.

Event sponsorship or exhibiting will allow your organisation to:

  • Build relationships with potential and existing clients
  • Generate leads from a high-level, targeted audience
  • Close sales in a more personal manner than via phone
  • Demonstrate your product in person
  • Network with the industry
  • Build brand awareness

To see what is on offer please contact:

Valerie Pogrebizhsky
+61 2 9080 4362
Valerie.Pogrebizhsky@informa.com.au

ConnectMe and Streamly

ConnectMe • Networking enhanced
All of our events utilise a bespoke dynamic smartphone app, ConnectMe – which guarantees attendees a premium event experience. Logins are sent prior to the conference commencement allowing you to check who’s attending, schedule in meetings and catch ups, participate in live Q+A and interactive polls, and much more. ConnectMe ensures you never miss a beat prior, during and post event.

 

Streamly • On-Demand video vault
Streamly is a new video platform from Informa Connect – hosting hours of session recordings from our events and more. Select the Streamly add-on at the checkout to receive year-round access to exclusive On-Demand session recordings from all of our related energy events*. Login information will be sent post event. For more information visit our Streamly page.

* Note: In a minority of cases, speakers may request their sessions to be excluded from Streamly access.

Sustainability

Our Commitment to Sustainability

In Australia, we are committed to running our events in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Across Informa Connect we are focusing on the short and long-term sustainability impacts we have on customers and colleagues alongside the communities we work in.

We recognise that it’s not just about the way we produce our events and products but recognising that we have a role to play in providing a space to work in partnership together with our markets to inspire the sustainable development of the industries we serve.

To read more on our latest sustainability reports and Faster Forward initiatives – click here.

when & where

12 - 13 Nov 2024

Swissotel Sydney
68 Market St,
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9238 8888

Book Now – Swissôtel Sydney

Informa Energy Infrastructure & Community Engagement Conference from 12 to 13 November 2024.

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Still have a question?

Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Valerie Pogrebizhsky
+61 2 9080 4362
Valerie.Pogrebizhsky@informa.com.au

Speaking Enquiries
Aya Mersal
+61 290 804338
Aya.Mersal@informa.com

Marketing & Media Enquiries
Chris Shorthouse
+61 290 804317
Chris.Shorthouse@informa.com

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