What's on at Smart Energy 2026

Penny Sharpe is the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage. First elected to NSW Legislative Council in 2005, Penny has held a variety of Government and Opposition portfolios...

Larissa Waters is the Leader of the Australian Greens and the first Greens Senator for Queensland. She took office in July 2011 and is the Federal spokesperson on Climate & Energy, First Nations Justice and Women.  Larissa is passionate about protecting the climate and environment, a fair...

Senator the Hon Murray Watt was appointed Federal Minister for the Environment and Water on May 13, 2025. Last year he led the passing of major environmental law reforms in the Australian Parliament, aimed at strengthening environmental protections while delivering faster decision-making for...

Zali Steggall OAM is the Independent Federal Member for Warringah in Sydney’s north.  A former professional athlete, Zali represented Australia at four Winter Olympic Games, first competing at just 17 years of age. At the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, she made history by winning Australia’s first...

As Chief Executive of the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC), Geoffrey leads the Commission in delivering trusted, expert advice on energy markets and deliver solutions that support Australia’s transition to a reliable, affordable and low-emissions energy system.With more than 20 years of...

A governance and finance professional with over 25 years of experience, Kim has deep expertise in both the public and private sectors and is passionate about maximising efficiency and outcomes, whilst balancing risk and financial impact.After commencing her career in project finance consulting, Kim ...

Tim has 35 years financial markets experience, including providing public interest related financial analysis on the energy transition since 2013, studying China, India and Australia. Tim founded Climate Energy Finance Australasia in 2022, having co-founded and worked with the global energy finance ...

Ms McHugh, a proud Gamilaroi and Dhungutti woman with connections to the Redfern, La Perouse and Central Coast Communities, comes to NSWALC from leading the Aboriginal Languages Trust as its first Executive Director where she has helped shape its foundations for future years. Ms McHugh brings...

David Ritter is CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific and took on this role in 2012 after five years working as an oceans campaigner with Greenpeace in London. Hailing from Perth originally, David now lives in Sydney with his family. David is a widely published commentator on politics, law, history...

Bruce is a recognised leader in Australia's energy transition, with deep expertise in scaling consumer energy technologies from policy through to deployment. At Moreland Energy Foundation, he led pioneering initiatives including Moreland Solar City, EcoSmart Electricians and ZeroNet Energy...

Katharine has served as CEO of the Association for the Battery Recycling Industry (ABRI) for the past five years – a role she greatly enjoys. She draws on her considerable expertise in shaping strategy and influencing public policy to raise the industry’s profile and advance greater safety and...

Isaac Hinton is the Head of Australia for InterContinental Energy, a global pioneer in large-scale green hydrogen development, now in its 11th year.Isaac oversees the company's strategic initiatives, activities, and partnerships in Australia, supporting long-term growth and project...

Michael is a strategy and economic consultant specialising in clean energy and industrial transition. He advises governments and industry on sector strategies and reform programs spanning domestic manufacturing, energy market and policy design, and the deployment and management of large-scale and...

Michael Wright is the National Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union. Since joining the Union in 2007, Michael has represented electrical workers across Australia and the region. He is committed to advancing members’ rights and ensuring a bright future for the workers delivering our energy...

Professor Veena Sahajwalla is an internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer, and inventor revolutionising recycling science. She is renowned for pioneering the high temperature transformation of waste in the production of a new generation of ‘green materials’ at the UNSW Sustainable...

With over 34 years in the electrotechnology industry, Steve’s experiences as an electrician, contractor, business owner and manager across industry and the vocational education and training sector inform his holistic approach to educating the energy workforce. His current role with the Jobs and...

Michelle has worked in solar energy since 1996. She is currently CEO of PV Lab Australia, which has tested panels used in over many GW of farms across Australia. Michelle was also the CEO of Spark Solar Australia, an Australian company seed-funded by German experts in the photovoltaic field with...

Matthew Wittemeier is the Chief Executive Officer of Rainbow Power Company, one of Australia’s longest running renewable energy providers delivering practical solar, battery and hybrid energy solutions to homes, businesses and communities across regional and remote areas. Matthew brings a...

Simon Ceglinski is a recognised leader in Australia’s renewable energy storage sector and currently serves as Head of Technology at PowerPlus Energy, one of Australia’s largest lithium battery manufacturers. With more than a decade of experience in renewable energy and battery storage, Simon...

Dani Alexander is the CEO of the UNSW Energy Institute and interim CEO of the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub. Dani is a passionate advocate for reshaping our energy system to be clean, affordable, reliable and equitable. Her background is multi-disciplinary in science and business, reflecting...

Simon Linge is the Managing Director and the CEO of Livium, a battery technology company supplying critical materials for a circular battery industry. Before joining Livium, he held senior leadership roles at BlueScope across Australia, Asia Pacific, and the United States, including as President of ...

Glen Morris is a highly respected expert in off-grid and renewable energy systems, with over 35 years of experience in the design and implementation of innovative energy solutions. As General Manager of the Smart Energy Lab, based at Mount Toolebewong, Victoria, Glen leads a cutting-edge facility...

Thomas Seymour is the Executive Manager, Standards & Development at Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA), the Accreditation Scheme Operator for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) administered by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER). A fully qualified electrician, Thomas holds design and ...

Jerome Koh is a policy manager in the Circular Economy Policy Branch in the NSW Environment Protection Authority. He and his team are leading the work together with the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to establish a national stewardship scheme for solar...

 Head Training Facilitator at Greenwood Solutions and Greenwood Academy. Over 20 + years in Renewables and still learning. There are no experts!

Matthew Power is the General Manager responsible for the Renewable Energy Target Branch at the Clean Energy Regulator. The Renewable Energy Target is an Australian Government scheme designed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the electricity sector and encourage the additional generation of ...

Carl Hutchinson, Managing Director, Enel X Australia & New Zealand Carl Hutchinson is Managing Director of Enel X Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) where he manages Enel X’s business and operations across both countries. Carl has been with Enel X for more than 10 years. Prior to being appointed ...

Rebecca Tilbrook, Energy Solutions Leader, SECWith over two decades of international experience in clean energy with utilities, consulting and finance, Rebecca has a passion for forging innovative net-zero pathways to deliver greater value, build engagement and enable climate resilience. As Energy...

Jess leads SEC’s consumer energy partnerships’ team, driving accelerating home electrification as a key enabler of Victoria’s energy transition. A proven leader in strategic communications and marketing in consumer energy resources, grid edge technology and solar, Jess has deep sector knowledge and ...

SINEAD BOOTHHead of Decarbonisation Delivery, FortescueSinead Booth is a seasoned professional and trailblazer in the mining and resources industry, currently serving as the Head of Decarbonisation Delivery at Fortescue. With a decade of international and interstate experience, Sinead has been at...

Nigel Morris is the Chief Stratgey Officer at the Smart Energy Council and an multi award winning solar veteran with more than three decades of experience in solar and storage. His experience spans retailing, installation, hardware manufacturing, software, business development and strategic...

Portia has 25 years of energy industry experience in both operational and mega-project environments.  Pivoting her career, she founded Net Zero Engineering Solutions in 2023 with the purpose of helping households and industry decarbonise.  Since 2023, she has been focussing on V2G solutions and in...

Deidre Willmott AM   Deidre Willmott is Strategic Advisor in the Global Sustainability and External Affairs team at Fortescue. She is working on decarbonisation of Fortescue’s Pilbara mining operations and the development of a green iron industry with a focus on the policy environment and...

Brad Trethewey is the Manager of Innovation at Essential Energy, where he provides strategic leadership on the modernisation of Australia’s electricity distribution networks. Based in regional New South Wales, Brad leads the organisation’s innovation agenda across power systems, digital...

Stephanie Bond‑Hutkin is Head of Brand and Marketing at Plico, an Australian renewable energy company focused on consumer‑led energy systems. She works at the intersection of energy, trust and community resilience, helping design business models that enable long‑term participation in decentralised...

Mark is the CEO and Co-founder of Hunter Valley Solar Foundry and a veteran of the Australian venture capital industry.  He is a domain expert in the energy transition and clean technology with a deep technical background in advanced materials, including photovoltaics. Mark has served on the boards ...

Trevor Gauld is Deputy Commissioner at Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), where he plays a key role in shaping national skills strategies to meet Australia’s current and future workforce needs. With deep expertise in workforce development, vocational education, and strategic policy, Trevor brings a...

LIBBY CHAPLINCEO, BATTERY STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL – B-CYCLE ADMINISTRATOR Libby is an expert in product stewardship and sustainability, specialising in the environmentally sound management of products across their lifecycle. She has extensive experience in e-waste and battery stewardship, drawing on...

Patrick has been an integral part of Fronius Australia for almost six years, bringing extensive expertise and commitment to the company’s technical education and partner support initiatives. His role centres on the development and delivery of high‑quality training, including the creation of...

Oliver Hill is Program Leader for Electric Vehicles and Victoria Node Leader at the RACE for 2030 CRC, Australia's leading cooperative research centre for consumer-centred energy transitions. He manages a $14M research portfolio spanning vehicle-to-grid (V2G), EV adoption, and the integration...

James is the National President of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA). James has worked as a founder and leader in the technology and telecommunications industries for over 30 years, recently with a focus on sustainability solutions. Now leading AEVA in its 53'rd year James' ...

Robyn Cowie is a leading expert in driving industrial value through the recovery of Australia’s solar assets. Following her successful delivery of the landmark Queensland solar panel recycling pilot, Robyn and her team have provided the definitive blueprint for turning decommissioned panels into a...

Suzanne Toumbourou is Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR), where she leads national efforts to advance resource recovery, recycling, remanufacturing, and the circular economy. With over two decades of experience in sustainability and public policy, she previously...

Grace Tam is Head of Consumer Finance at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, where she specialises in establishing credible green consumer loans with co-financiers to support consumer uptake in clean energy technologies. This includes green home and personal loans for rooftop solar systems, home...

Usama Aslam is the Director of Sales and Product at OSW, a leading solar distributor, where he drives growth across the Australian market while supporting global expansion. With strong expertise in renewable energy, he focuses on delivering high-quality solar solutions, strengthening partner...

Grant is an Engineering Technologist, an electrician and a CEC accredited PV system designer and installer.  He is the Managing Director of AC Solar Warehouse which he co-founded in 2012 and has grown to be one of Australia’s largest and most respected solar wholesalers. With more than 30 years’...

Rita has been dedicated to the solar industry since 2009, gaining valuable experience while working with solar panel, inverter, and energy storage companies. Through these positions, she has acquired knowledge of products and manufacturing, observed significant technical innovations and market...

Troy Rowe is the founder of ReSource Pty Ltd, Australia's largest dedicated e-waste recycling facility based in Melbourne, and co-founder of PV Industries, a solar panel recycling venture tackling the emerging wave of end-of-life photovoltaic waste. He also founded GreenQuip, which supplies...

Symons Xie is a dynamic and forward-thinking General Manager at Anker SOLIX, a leading renewable energy company at the forefront of the industry. With a proven track record of driving innovation and sustainability in the energy sector, Symons is dedicated to revolutionizing the way we think about...

Andre is a commercially-minded leader with 15+ years’ experience building and growing iconic consumer brands across lifestyle, automotive, technology and energy segments. His career spans Oakley, Telstra, Holden, Stellantis, YETI and most recently 1KOMMA5°, where he's consistently operated at...

Dan is a General Manager responsible for ARENA's solar investment portfolio, which represents more than $1 billion in investment across more than 100 projects.  Since joining ARENA in 2013, Dan has worked across many of ARENA's investment priorities and led major funding programs, including ...

Matthew Wilson Founder & Director, Central Spark Victoria | Solar Industry Advisor Matthew Wilson is a recognized leader in Australia’s renewable energy landscape, known for bridging the gap between high-level policy and "boots-on-the-ground" technical execution. As the founder of...

Carl Binning is the Executive General Manager, Scheme Operations at the Clean Energy Regulator. He joined the agency in January 2024 and has more than 30 years’ experience leading environmental and natural resource management initiatives across Australia. Carl’s work sits at the intersection of...

Rohan is the General Manager of New Energy Training, a Registered Training Organisation that specialises in nationally-accredited Renewable Energy courses for licensed electricians that align with industry accreditations through SAA, as well as offering various training pathways for...

Warwick Johnston is the managing director of SunWiz, which has since 2009 been Australia's pre-eminent provider of information about the solar and storage market.In 2005, SunWiz expanded its scope of coverage, and now assists solar and storage businesses with their strategic growth across the...

Lotte is an Executive Manager, Advocacy and Policy at Energy Consumers Australia. Lotte promotes the long-term interest of Australian residential and small business energy consumers. Lotte leads ECA's work on efficient electrification and Consumer Energy Resources, advocating for all consumers...

With a background in physics and mechanical engineering, Alex has been with the ACT Government since 2019, first working on the auction which secured 100% renewable electricity for the ACT. In 2020, he moved to oversee the ACT Government fleet transition and the ARENA-funded REVS vehicle-to-grid...

An accomplished engineer who has spent the past 16 years working in the renewable energy industry, Andrew possesses a wealth of experience in product specification, development and deployment for Australian and international markets.  From module level power electronics to micro grids, Andrew has a ...

Richard is a seasoned Senior Executive with a proven track record in driving organisational transformation and growth. With a background in the Water Utility and Manufacturing sectors, he possesses a keen understanding of the renewable energy market's reliability, affordability, and...

Tom Peters, BEng (Hons), RPEQ, NER is an Engineering and Procurement Manager at AC Solar Warehouse in Cairns, Queensland, with 12+ years specializing in electrical engineering, solar systems, and battery storage compliance. Holding a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical, Honours), he maintains RPEQ...

Peter Steele is DER Market Readiness Lead at Synergy, where he works at the forefront of integrating distributed energy resources into energy markets and system operations at scale. With extensive experience spanning DER platforms, virtual power plants, and customer‑led electrification...

Dr Gabrielle Kuiper is an expert in distributed energy resources (DER) with over 25 years of experience in climate and sustainability spanning corporate, government, non-government and academic sectors. Her career includes strategic leadership positions at the Energy Security Board, in the Office...

Emily Yip is a public sector leader with over 20 years’ experience delivering high impact sustainability and environmental policy and programs. Working across government, business and residential sectors, Emily has policy and program experience in energy and emissions...

Blair Palese is Director of Philanthropy at Ethinvest and founder of the Climate Capital Forum, a network of investors, decarbonising businesses, climate finance experts and philanthropists advocating for Australia to accelerate our role in the global net zero economy. She is a director of the...

Nigel Freitas is Brighte's Head of Government, Enterprise and External Affairs, working at the intersection of policy, finance and energy to make consumer energy upgrades affordable and accessible for every Australian household. Nigel manages Brighte's partner programs — including the...

Trent Kontopoulos | National Account Manager, Kia Australia As National Account Manager for Kia Australia, Trent leads a fleet strategy centered on the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. By leveraging the 2026 lineup, he assists businesses in reducing their carbon footprint while optimizing their...

Katie Hepworth is the National Policy Director of the Electrical Trades Union, which represents over 70,000 electrical workers nationally. Her work encompasses energy transition, skills policy and industrial decarbonsiation, and in recent years, her focus as been on trying to ensure that we have...

PhD physicist with 33 years experience in research, industry, academia and CSIRO, including photovoltaics (since 1998), photonics, thin films, surface science and ion beam technology. Founded CSIRO's photovoltaics research program, now operating commercially as PV Performance Laboratory, the...

Louise Hurll is the Chief Executive Officer of Stellar PV, an Australian developer of advanced silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing facilities. She leads the company’s strategy to establish a sovereign, high-value segment of the solar supply chain in Australia, focused on producing fully...

Steve Kostoff is CEO and Director of Solar Training Centre, a national award-winning Registered Training Organisation (RTO) since 2008. Their primary focus is workforce development for all aspects of the solar, renewables and energy efficiency sectors. They also deliver the required training to...

Earl is the co-founder and CTO of Diagno Energy, an Australian clean-tech company focused on improving the performance and reliability of distributed renewable energy assets. With an academic background in data science and a PhD in Quantitative Climate Science, he specialises in diagnosing...

Paul Hunyor co-founded Wollemi Capital in 2021, co-heads the firm alongside Tim Bishop and is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and Board. Wollemi Capital is a global climate specialist investment firm, deploying flexible capital across companies and projects that advance...

CEO | Founder | Clean Energy Advocate | Driving Australia’s Transition to Net Zero Lisa Marsh is a founding leader and the Chief Executive Officer of eLumina, an Australian clean energy company pioneering locally manufactured, battery-integrated EV chargers and energy storage systems. Under her...

Tim has spent decades living in, and reporting from, Australia’s most intensive resource and energy producing regions. As a producer, researcher and investigative journalist for the ABC, The Age and The Project, he’s been at the heart of debate over the nation's fossil fuel legacy and new...

Sophie Wright is a dynamic and results-driven professional with over a decade of experience in the renewable energy sector. As the General Manager for Australia & New Zealand at OpenSolar, she leads strategic initiatives to drive the adoption of smart energy solutions in the region. Sophie is...

Bill Gillespie is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in the zero emissions truck sector. As the General Manager of Foton Mobility Distribution, he is at the forefront of driving innovation and sustainability in the transport industry. With a strong background in business...

Mark Dwyer is CEO of ReVolt Energy Group and a clean-tech investor. ReVolt is building Australia’s largest decentralised clean energy storage network, deploying scalable, asset-backed infrastructure designed to store, trade, and monetise power at the edge of the grid. Mark brings 20+ years of...

Thornton is a Business Development Manager at the Smart Energy Council, supporting members and industry partners across the sector.Thornton has been part of the renewable energy industry since 2020, beginning her journey at Solar Analytics after being encouraged by her mentor and solar pioneer...

Dr Jonathon Dore is a renewable energy specialist with over two decades of experience across PV manufacturing, research & development, home energy management and analytics, and distributed energy resource integration. At AEMO, Jonathon and his team are helping to guide the transition to a...

Net Zero Faster, Together. Anthony is a recognised leader in cross-border collaboration in the Green Economy. A 15 yr veteran of Australia's renewables and CleanTech sectors. Startup founder. ASX-listed company CEO. Zero Carbon Industial Parks/ Zero Carbon Factories specialist with China's...

Fiona is a senior vocational education leader driving Australia’s clean energy workforce transition. As Director of Trade Skills at one of Australia’s leading technology and training institutes, she leads large-scale portfolios across renewables, EV technologies, construction and emerging...

  Innovator, entrepreneur and academic, Renate is passionate about using her skills to increase the uptake of solar and accelerate the energy transition. In 2022, she was added to the 'Australian Solar Hall of Fame' by the Smart Energy Council, for extraordinary contribution to solar...

Nick Florin is an Associate Professor at UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures— a sustainability research institute and consultancy based at the University of Technology Sydney. He is also a Director of the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence, an independent NFP with the mission to advance...

Sachin Sardana is a Senior Business Development Manager at Anker Solix, leading retailer and strategic partnerships across the ANZ region. With 15+ years in the renewable energy sector and an Electrical and Electronics Engineering background, he is dedicated to advancing the clean energy transition ...

Martin Ma, CTO, holds a Master’s degree in Information Technology from UNSW. He began his career at IRESS, working on large-scale trading and wealth management platforms. He is the founder of MeetKOL Pty Ltd and currently serves as Tech Lead at ConnectVPP. With a strong background in cloud-native...

  Edison Zhou leads Trinasolar’s product and business development across the significant markets: Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Overseeing both a mature market and a rapidly growing one, he brings deep industry expertise and adaptability in driving Trinasolar’s growth across...

Alice leads greenHorizon, the sustainability and impact division of the award-winning agency Horizon Communication Group. A specialist sustainability communicator, she has worked closely with all levels of government, not-for-profits, major brands and retailers to help them navigate and champion...

Daniel Bleakley is the co-founder and co-CEO of New Energy Transport (NET), an Australian company pioneering the transition to zero-emission heavy road freight. Daniel is leading one of the nation’s most ambitious clean-transport infrastructure programs: the development of a vertically...

My name is Lewis Sheppard, and I’ve spent over 30 years working in the energy-saving industry. My journey into renewable energy began in 2007, starting in solar retail, sales, and system design. From there, I progressed into training and leading a high-performing sales team, focused on educating...

CEO and Chartered Accountant with 30+ years’ experience leading capital strategy, fundraising, financial modelling, and governance across capital-intensive, growth-stage, and operationally complex businesses. Extensive experience structuring and executing equity, debt, asset finance, and...

As former Deputy Premier and Treasurer of Queensland, Jackie led significant energy policy reform, including establishing the state’s publicly owned clean energy company, CleanCo, and laying the foundations for ambitious renewable energy and emissions reduction targets. She demonstrated strong...

Ben Pritchard is a commercial professional in Australia’s clean energy recycling sector, with deep expertise in hazardous waste management and environmental compliance. As Manager of Sales & New Markets at Envirostream, he leads the development of strategic partnerships and long-term agreements ...

Serena Yang is Manager, Policy and Evaluation at Green Industries SA, leading policy initiatives and programs supporting South Australia's transition to a circular economy, including the Circular Business and Market Development Grant program. With a background in law and government policy, she...

Lauren has over 20 years of experience in marketing, with specific expertise in digital communications and business-to-business strategies. After a decade of running her own digital marketing agency working across multiple sectors, Lauren has honed her focus to the energy industry in her role as...

Simon leads Formbay's growing Data, Analytics and Modelling function, with a remit spanning machine learning, market forecasting, and reporting across Formbay's operations and broader industry trends. He also oversees the modernisation of Formbay's data infrastructure, ensuring the...

John de Bruyn is a sustainability professional with over 15 years’ experience in climate change adaptation, renewable energy, and urban sustainability. With qualifications in architecture and environmental engineering management, he combines technical knowledge with leadership, stakeholder...

As CEO of Solar Citizens, Heidi has led nationally significant campaigns securing state and federal home battery rebates, New Vehicle Efficiency Standards, and expanded rooftop solar for social housing, renters and apartment residents. Her work has helped unlock billions in clean energy investment...

Kate joined Solar Citizens as Global Advocacy Director in February. She is a human rights and social justice campaigner and advocate working across international social movements. Most recently Kate led the Australian union movement’s international development organisation, Union Aid...

As Director of Innovation and Investment at Greenhouse, she leads partnerships and capital pathways that enable the deployment of funding into climate and nature-focused ventures, including oversight of a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of initiatives aimed at unlocking over $10B in investment. 

Thomas Gao BEng (Hons), MEng Senior Manager, NSW Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer Adjunct Industry Fellow, University of NSW Thomas Gao is a senior public policy professional and qualified chemical engineer specialising in sustainable energy, advanced manufacturing, and the...

Stefan is a solar industry pioneer and has led teams that have developed the world’s first modular PV system; enhanced solar panel durability globally; built a solar manufacturing facility in Germany; developed utility solar power plants; co-founded blockchain energy platform Enosi, and co-founded...

Brett Thomas is a forward-thinking Director and Partner at The Melt, a leading startup accelerator and investor. Brett is a seasoned expert in driving innovative solutions for a more prosperous future. His passion for innovation, discovering novel technologies and scaling emering businesses have...

Xunpeng (Roc) Shi is Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics and Sustainability at the University of Technology Sydney and Research Principal at the UTS Australia-China Relations Institute. He is the Founding President of the International Society for Energy Transition Studies  (ISETS) and...

John Grimes is one of Australia’s leading voices on renewable energy and climate action. Guided by his belief that we must act now to protect the planet and secure a sustainable future, he has led the Smart Energy Council since 2008, transforming the organisation into a powerful force driving...

The guy at the BBQ who won't stop talking Energy and Tech

John is the WA State Manager for the Smart Energy Council. John has an extensive background spanning trade unions, government, and the energy sector. He served as Secretary of a trade union in Western Australia for 15 years before moving into government as a Principal Policy Adviser on industrial...

Helen MillicerAustralia Lead, Climate Action for AssociationsCEO, One Planet Consulting, GAICD, Churchill FellowHelen will speak about Climate Action for Associations, the global not-for-profit program, headquartered in UK, with over 400 trade and professional association members, and the actions...

Ben is the Chairman of Li-S Energy which is driving global innovation in lithium sulfur battery technology and the Executive Chairman at PowerPlus Energy, the leading Australian manufacturer of stationary storage batteries for residential, commercial and industrial applications. As well as his...

Joshua Nari is a Training Manager at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology (VIT), passionate about expanding clean electricity access across the Pacific through off-grid solar PV. An electrical engineer with nearly a decade in rural electrification, he previously delivered solar solutions to remote...

Rainer Knobloch Co-Founder & COO/CSO, NewVolt Infrastructure Rainer is Co-Founder and Chief Operating & Strategy Officer of NewVolt Infrastructure, an Australian company building the country's first shared-use, open-access electric truck charging network. NewVolt's mission is to...

Ben Hutt is CEO and Managing Director of Janus Electric, leading the commercialisation of zero-emissions solutions for heavy transport. With more than 20 years’ experience across energy, technology and capital markets, Ben has a strong track record scaling high-growth businesses. He previously...

Rad Gupta is a strategic stakeholder engagement and reform delivery professional working at Australian Energy Market Operator, where she supports major energy market reform initiatives shaping the future of Australia’s electricity system. With a background spanning energy, public...

CEO, One Planet Consulting, GAICD, Churchill FellowEPR Advisor, Soft Plastics Stewardship AustraliaAustralia Lead, Climate Action for AssociationsHelen brings to Australia international expertise in circular economy, in particular product stewardship schemes. Through overseas examples she will...

Rhiannon Evans is a senior renewable energy policy and advocacy professional with a track record of influencing energy policy across national industry associations and state government.  Her energy sector expertise spans policy research and development, regulatory reform and strategic stakeholder...

Sophy Liu Director | Strategic Advisor | China–Australia Trade & Investment Specialist Sophy Liu is an accomplished business leader and director with over a decade of experience in cross-border trade, investment, and strategic market development between Australia and China. She brings deep...

Udayanka is a dedicated professional with over seven years of experience in researching residential PV battery systems and energy management. He has established himself as a notable figure in this field, with a track record of publishing his research in esteemed academic journals. Holding a...

Richard Zee is a geologist and entrepreneur. He is the Director, CEO and Founder of Solarh2e, Resource Unicorns Capital, Resource Unicorns Funds Management and The Eco Living Group. Richard is a seasoned Australian business leader and investor with a career spanning senior executive roles across...

Scott Hamilton is an author, researcher and policy advisor. He is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University and is Senior Advisor to the Smart Energy Council, a peak industry body in Australia.He is an expert in renewable energy, green...

David McElrea joined the Smart Energy Council as Chief Advocacy Officer from July 2025.  David is a senior government relations and policy strategist with a strong track record in climate policy, environmental reform, and renewable energy advocacy.As Deputy Chief of Staff to the Australian Minister ...

Don Henry has worked with businesses, governments, and civil society in Australia and globally on the transition to sustainability and action for low carbon economies. He is Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism at the Melbourne Business School and the University of Melbourne. Don sits on the...

As a solar industry participant for around 20 years, Geoff Bragg brings practical, technical, boots on the ground knowledge of the PV industry, together with high level PV industry representation.As a trainer Geoff creates and delivers Continuous Professional Development training, enabling solar...

Thom Woodroofe is a Senior International Fellow with the Smart Energy Council, the peak body for Australia’s renewable energy industry. His work focuses on climate, clean energy, and green metals diplomacy, especially given Australia’s role as President of the COP31 Negotiations.A veteran of the...

Andrew Dickson has joined the Smart Energy Council as Senior Advisor – South Australia, deepening the SEC’s commitment to the energy transition in SA. He has also been a Smart Energy Council Board member since February 2022.Andrew began his renewable energy career in South Australia in...

Jess joins the Smart Energy Council with a wealth of experience in customer relationship management and a strong background in the health and wellness sector. With an MBA and qualifications in Entrepreneurship, she enjoys putting into practice her knowledge and skills and finding pathways for...

Darren Johannesen, is a senior product stewardship executive who brings a wealth of expertise to the SEC in the Circular Economy He has a background as an entrepreneur, with direct experience in Solar Cell and Module Manufacturing, and Consumer Energy (Small Scale Solar) Retail.Backed by...