Seven renewable energy industry experts have been appointed to the new Renewable Energy Innovation Fund Industry Advisory Board established to ensure the ACT's investments in the renewable energy sector continue to deliver the best outcomes for Canberrans.
Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Shane Rattenbury said the ACT Renewable Energy Innovation Fund is helping make Canberra a place of opportunity for renewable energy research, innovation and investment.
"This new Industry Advisory Board will provide advice on renewable energy innovation and investment priorities for Canberra to inform the next round of the ACT Renewable Energy Innovation Fund," Minister Rattenbury said.
"The Fund has invested $12 million since its inception in 2016 and has been instrumental to the growth of a vibrant renewable energy sector in the ACT.
"The new Board will advise on the allocation of $19 million, contributed by the ACT government's fifth Renewables Reverse Auction industry partners, to initiatives such as grants.
"The Fund played an important role in establishing the highly successful Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at the Australian National University (ANU). In addition, the ACT Renewable Energy Innovation Fund grants program has provided over $3 million in seed funding to more than 19 ACT-based renewable energy projects.
"Recently funded projects include on-demand hydrogen production, increasing the efficiency of solar panels, and enhancing the ACT's network of grid-connected batteries.
"The expertise provided by this Industry Advisory Board will be an important asset as we continue to plan Canberra's energy transition towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.
"The board's advice will help us achieve maximum benefits from the energy transition for the ACT economy and community.
"I would like to congratulate the seven new board members, who are world leaders in the energy industry, for contributing their time and expertise for the benefit of all Canberrans," said Minister Rattenbury.
The Board includes experts from the commercial, research, and innovation communities.
- Professor Kenneth Baldwin will serve as the Chair of the REIF Board. Professor Baldwin is a member of the Emeritus Faculty of the Australian National University (ANU), the inaugural Director of the ANU's Energy Change Institute, and the founding Director of the ANU Grand Challenge Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific - an inter-disciplinary research program creating insights into new zero-carbon energy based export industries. Professor Baldwin's expertise and leadership have been widely recognised, including a Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
- Ms Naureen Alam is the Group Manager of Future Low Carbon Portfolio, AGL, and founder of a social enterprise advancing gender equality in clean energy industry. Ms Alam has expertise in emerging energy storage and generation technologies.
- Ms Ilea Buffier is the founder of Evalue8 Sustainability, an enviro-tech company with the mission of making it easy for all organisations to measure and reduce their carbon footprint.
- Mr Robert Fisher is a finance professional and former Chief Financial Officer of Windlab. Mr Fisher has spent more than twenty years in fast-growing companies in the technology and development sectors.
- Dr Elizabeth Ratnam is Senior Lecturer and Future Engineering Research Leader at the School of Engineering at the ANU. She is best known for her pioneering work on battery storage grid integration.
- Dr Igor Skryabin is Research and Business Development Manager, Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions, Convenor of Master of Energy Change Programme, and Lecturer of Research School of Physics and Engineering at the ANU. Dr Skryabin has extensive expertise in developing and commercialising renewable energy technologies and attracting investment.
- Mr William Tarlinton is Executive Director of Zeppelin Bend Pty Ltd, a company that specialises in building complex software systems for the electricity distribution sector.
