Key players from Australia and Germany's energy transitions sector are meeting in Melbourne this week to consider how to harness the opportunities for both countries as the world advances towards low emission energy systems.
The emergence of markets for new technologies and innovative clean energy carriers such as hydrogen based fuels, herald a fundamental shift in global trade and energy patterns. If well managed, and both the technological and socio-economic challenges are addressed, there are significant and long-lasting economic opportunities for both Australia and Germany from this transition.
The Australian-Germany Energy Symposium has brought together more than 150 senior government, industry, research institutes and civil society representatives who are central to the energy transition in both countries for two days of discussions at the University of Melbourne (see full program).
The Symposium is a chance to deepen the understanding of trends and issues in both countries, the approaches being pursued to transition electricity systems cost-effectively, integrate distributed energy resources and support the electrification of other sectors. It will highlight industrial process transformation and export opportunities arising from the transition, and the investment required. Discussions will also explore the role of hydrogen and synthetic fuels, and the implications for energy intensive industries.
Dr Falk Bömeke, from the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, says that "lnternational cooperation is key for reaching the goals of a global energy transition more efficiently and faster. With our collaboration with Australia and the first Australian-German Energy Symposium in Melbourne, we want to facilitate mutual learning and sharing of experiences."
Associate Professor Malte Meinshausen, Co-Director of the Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne, says working with Germany to identify energy transition pathways and bottlenecks, regulatory barriers, policy solutions and economic opportunities is enabling faster identification of policy lessons and investment and trade opportunities.
"This is a great chance to explore the opportunities and challenges in the global energy transition and we welcome the chance to work closely with Germany."
The Symposium is hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy (DoEE) and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The Australian-German Energy Transition Hub, which is led in Australia by the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University (ANU), is organising the event, together with the Berlin based think tank Adelphi, the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Victorian Minister for Energy and Environment and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio.
