RET: Clean energy initiative update

Speaker abstracts and biographies

Chair: Matthew Warren, Chief Executive Officer, Clean Energy Council
Matthew Warren joined the Clean Energy Council in 2008 having spent 15 years working as an environmental policy specialist. An environmental economist by training, his objective at the Council is to continue the progression of the clean energy industry into the mainstream of energy policy debate in Australia.

As policy director for the Australian Food and Grocery Council he negotiated the first eco-efficiency agreement in Australia and worked with Australia’s largest manufacturing industry to develop continuous improvement in environmental performance by establishing and improving environmental reporting standards.  Matthew helped negotiate and deliver the National Packaging Covenant to improve the environmental performance of product packaging and its role in the overall life cycle of consumer goods.

Matthew has also worked for the mining industry in NSW, as an environmental consultant to both government and industry and was a trainee in the Environment Directorate of the European Commission.  He has also worked as a journalist, most recently as the environment writer for The Australian newspaper.

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The new market for household technology
Damien Moyse of the Alternative Technology Association will outline the changes to the ‘enhanced’ Renewable Energy Target, with a particular focus on new opportunities for small scale technology, and its interrelationships with other current government policies and programmes.

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Damien Moyse, Energy Policy and Projects Manager, Alternative Technology Association
Damien joined the Alternative Technology Association in 2008, managing its Energy Policy and Projects Team, and ensuring that ATA contributes to national debates, research and projects in the area of climate and renewable energy policy on behalf of its members.

As a member-based consumer organisation, the ATA exists to provide independent information to householders, small businesses, individuals and community groups on sustainable living, with a specific focus on energy, water and transport opportunities. It also exists to provide government and industry a view on energy and other sustainability issues from the consumer perspective.

Damien’s background is in environmental education and urban and regional planning, having worked for both local and state government and in the private sector in Australia and internationally over the past 12 years.

The Australian Centre for Renewable Energy: Its role and function
Mary O'Kane will outline the role of the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy and its current funding commitments and will then go on describe the challenges faced in Australia in getting renewable energy technologies deployed at commercial scale.

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Professor Mary O’Kane, Chair, Australian Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE)
Professor Mary O’Kane was appointed as ACRE Board Chair on 11 May 2010. Professor O’Kane is the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer and also Executive Chair of Mary O’Kane & Associates Pty Ltd.

With a distinguished career spanning science, academia, engineering, policy development and business, she has served on many boards and committees in the public and private sectors, nationally and internationally.