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Young Energy Professionals: Energy policy in Australia and the world
Speaker abstracts and biographies
Chair: Glenne Drover, Director Energy & Infrastructure - Economic Infrastructure - Victorian Government, Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development
Glenne Drover has spent over 30 years in both public and private roles that have mostly involved Victoria’s energy sector in one way or another. His current role in Economic Infrastructure in the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development reports to the Minister for Industry and Trade the Hon Jacinta Allan MP. His branch considers and advises on the impact of energy and infrastructure policy and provides a client management and advocacy role in this area to businesses based in Victoria.
In addition to 15 years in design, project and construction roles with the former State Electricity Commission of Victoria building brown coal power stations he also spent several years involved in the asbestos removal and demolition of Victoria’s five oldest power stations at Yallourn. This was followed by a few years of general project engineering and health and safety consulting in the private company HAZCON.
He is an electro-mechanical engineer having graduated from the Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education in Gippsland before it became the Gippsland campus of Monash University. He also has an MBA Technology Management from Deakin University in Geelong.
Megan Wheatley of Suzlon Energy Australia will provide an overview of the latest energy policy developments in Europe with a particular focus on sustainable energy.
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Megan Wheatley, Business Development Manager, Suzlon Energy Australia
Megan Wheatley is currently Business Development Manager, Strategy and Policy at Suzlon Energy Australia. This role requires active engagement with the Australian sustainable energy policy agenda, as well as participation in key international policy activities such as COP15 in Copenhagen.
Prior to this Megan spent two years in London as Head of Policy for the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy (UKBCSE), which brings together the Chief Executives of the major energy companies in the UK to progress the sustainable energy agenda. In this role Megan worked with the energy sector and the UK Government to develop positions in a range of key policy areas, including the delivery of the EU 20% renewable energy target, and the development of energy efficiency initiatives.
Before moving to the UK, Megan worked at Sustainability Victoria where she played a key role in the development of the Victorian Wind Atlas, and the Government’s black balloons energy saving campaign. She also contributed to the development of a range of key policy initiatives, including the Victorian Wind Energy Policy and Planning Guidelines, the Victorian Renewable Energy Target, and the National Framework for Energy Efficiency.
Energy policy in China
These factors combine to exacerbate the perceived risks attached to renewable energy projects and make it more difficult for developers to secure project finance. Although increasing investment from private equity and venture capital sources, particularly through funds but through corporate finance, has helped to bridge this financing gap, the underlying project barriers have yet to be addressed and, if not resolved, may prevent Asia from attracting the funding it needs to realise its renewable energy potential, and its sustainable development objectives.
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Paul Curnow, Partner, Baker & McKenzie
Paul Curnow is a Partner in Baker & McKenzie's Global Environmental Markets Practice, where he specialises in renewable energy project development and financing, emissions trading and carbon financing, and international renewable energy and climate change law and policy. Paul’s key focus is advising on all issues associated with the development and financing of renewable and clean energy projects and global carbon and emissions trading markets. This includes advising on financing and corporate structuring for cross-border renewable and carbon projects, carrying out environmental and planning due diligence, and drafting and negotiating a range of project development agreements including joint venture/consortium agreements, offtake agreements and project financing documentation.Paul also regularly provides advice on a range of renewable and climate change regulatory and policy issues to Australian and global renewable energy developers, financiers and technology providers, carbon and renewable energy funds, as well as government agencies and nternational organisations. Paul is Head of the Firm's Asia-Pacific Renewable Energy Industry Focus Group and in this role responsible for coordinating the Firm's regional renewable energy capabilities and legal specialists.
Solar electricity generation
James Golden, Energy Investment, Energy Sector Development Division, Department of Primary Industries, Victorian State Government
James Golden is a principal policy analyst with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries. James has qualifications in public policy, environmental science and photovoltaic engineering, and has worked in the area of energy and carbon markets since 2000.
- The Victorian Greenhouse Strategy (2002)
- The Victorian Greenhouse Challenge for Energy (2004)
James is currently leading the development of the Victorian Large Scale Solar Feed-in-Tariff. The VLSSFIT is a July 2010 commitment stemming from the Victorian Climate Change White Paper – Action 3 “Making Victoria the Solar State”.
James’ presentation will focus on the delivery of solar electricity generation projects in Victoria. In particular he will discuss the prior experience of Victoria in encouraging such projects, lessons learned, and how Victoria’s new commitments to solar electricity generation will be delivered.
