GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

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energy

GIPPSLAND’S TRANSITION TO A

What lies ahead for Gippsland’s place in the energy future?

Times GIPPSLAND

& MAFFRA SPECTATOR

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Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Latrobe Valley y leading the way GIPPSLAND and the Latrobe Valley are at the forefront of Australia’s energy transformation, with new transmission now being coordinated by VicGrid to connect offshore wind and other clean energy generation to the grid.

As our ageing coal-fired power stations retire and are replaced by renewables, our energy grid needs to change to carry power from new renewable energy sources across the state to Victorian homes and businesses.

VicGrid is working to make sure this change delivers the safe, reliable and affordable power that Victoria needs for the future and that host communities have a say in and can share in the benefits of the energy transition.

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Critical new transmission

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NEW transmission infrastructure is critical to get energy from new areas where it is generated to homes and businesses where it is used.

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Victoria’s grid was designed to transport power from the Latrobe Valley, where our coal-fired power plants are based.

However, our renewable resources are dispersed across Victoria - from our windy coastlines to our sunny plains. In Gippsland, VicGrid is leading a coordinated approach to transmission infrastructure development for offshore wind generation in line with the state government’s offshore wind generation targets.

Without this coordination, offshore wind energy developers would develop multiple, private transmission lines. We want to avoid the spaghetti effect of powerlines criss-crossing the landscape, while we minimise impacts on people’s homes, livelihoods, power bills and the environment.

New transmission infrastructure will play a crucial role in meeting the first offshore wind capacity target of at least 2 gigawatts (GW) by 2032 - enough at full capacity to power 1.5 million homes.

Next steps to refine the area EARLIER this year, VicGrid confirmed the study area for the new transmission, which was developed through community consultation during 2023.

Assessment of environmental, visual, land use, heritage, cost and technical factors found that new overhead transmission lines along an area away from major towns provided the best way of balancing the need to keep household energy bills down while minimising impacts for Gippsland communities.

The study area begins about six kilometres from the coast near Giffard and travels north-west past Stradbroke West to Willung, across to Flynns Creek and then to the Loy Yang Power Station.

In the next couple of months, VicGrid will open the next phase of consultation to help us further understand sensitive areas and refine the study area for the new transmission. We will continue to share our method for refinement and consult openly, using careful assessment of land in the study area against clear criteria to help us balance competing priorities such as land use, biodiversity, cultural values and impacts on land holders.

VicGrid will refine the study area to a

A map showing the new transmission being coordinated by VicGrid. transmission easement in several phases, ensuring opportunities for consultation and providing updates on our decision making.

approach to planning renewable energy and transmission as we transition away from coal-fired power.

Working with landholders

This new approach gives communities a real say from the very beginning of the process and includes a long-term strategic plan we call the Victorian Transmission Plan.

VICGRID has established a dedicated landholder engagement team to work with landholders in the study area for the new offshore wind transmission line.

Over the coming months, we’ll contact landholders in the study area to discuss land access for ecology field studies. We need to understand areas of ecological significance that may exist on private land that we can only study at certain times of the year, such as in spring and summer.

If you are a landholder in the study area and would like more information about our spring and summer studies, please contact our landholder engagement team on 1800 959 431 or at landholders@deeca.vic.gov. au.

Providing access to land for these studies is voluntary and there is no obligation to participate.

Transmission for future offshore wind targets VICGRID’S current focus is on connecting the first 2 GW of offshore wind energy to the grid by 2032.

We also need to think longer term so that what we build now supports future targets of at least 4 GW by 2035 and 9 GW by 2040.

While no decisions have been made on transmission for the future targets, our early technical work indicates that in Gippsland, a second transmission corridor and loop tie would be needed to accommodate these targets. The work to plan these next stages is being undertaken as part of the first Victorian Transmission Plan.

New Transmission Plan VICGRID is putting in place a new

Page 2 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

The plan will ensure we build the right amount of energy infrastructure in the right places at the right time to deliver power to Victorian homes and businesses and that we don’t build more than we need so we can minimise impacts and keep costs down for consumers.

We have recently released draft Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines that explain how we will deliver the plan and what areas we are investigating.

The guidelines include a map of an initial study area for further investigation for potential future renewable energy zones.

This map is the first step in a process that will occur over the next 12 months.

The initial study area will be narrowed down to much smaller areas as we work to define future renewable energy zones. We need the input of regional communities, farmers, landholders and First Peoples to help us get this right. Consultation on the study area in the guidelines is open until Monday, September 30 2024. You can read the plan and find out how to have your say at engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan

Benefits for host communities ONE of the key things we’ve heard from regional communities is that many people don’t feel the benefits of transition are being shared fairly.

The state government has listened to this and has come up with a new approach to delivering real benefits for regional

communities. This approach includes new Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Community Energy Funds for communities, payments for host landholders, payments for significantly impacted neighbours and a commitment to co-design benefits for Traditional Owners.

Through our consultation with Gippsland communities, we have already heard about potential priorities for local investment through the REZ Community Energy Funds, including promoting local energy reliability.

The final Community Benefits Plan, expected to be released in late 2024, will provide further detail about the types of projects that can be funded and how decisions about funding will be made.

You can read more about the Renewable Energy Zone Community Benefit Plan at engage.vic.gov.au/ vtif-rez-community-benefits

Gippsland New Energy Conference VICGRID is proud to be a sponsor of the Gippsland New Energy Conference, the premier gathering for Australia’s regional leaders in the transition to renewable energy.

This year’s program brings together industry, community, Traditional Owners and government entities to have genuine conversations about Gippsland’s key role in the energy transition.

We congratulate the Gippsland Climate Change Network for their work organising a rich program in 2024 that will feature important discussions about the opportunities and challenges of the transition.

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 3

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Page 4 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 5

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Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

GlaWacc set to play big role

By PHILIP HOPKINS THE Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, which represents about 3000 Indigenous people in Gippsland, is gearing up to be an integral part of the renewable energy transition in Gippsland.

GlaWac Chief Executive, Daniel Miller, will be a keynote speaker on the first day of the Gippsland New Energy Conference.

“GlaWac is excited about the opportunities and possibilities that come with renewable energy and the transition get away from coal and fossil fuel energy sources. They have left their mark on Gunaikurnai Country over the past 100 years. So, we are excited about being a positive contributor to the new opportunities,” he said in the lead-up to the conference.

“Our focus is on protecting Country and culture as we see it and looking at the best way for the Gunaikurnai people and other Aboriginal people to be a part of these new industries.”

Mr Miller said offshore wind farms were definitely of interest to the Gunaikurnai.

“Native title interest does not extend that far, that is in many ways irrelevant, but through changing sea levels over thousands of years, the area where they are likely to be situated (the seabed) was part of Gunaikurnai Country, so there is definitely an interest. The infrastructure needs to come ashore, so there are multiple touch points that are relevant to today.”

alternative is another big hole in the ground, or continue to have big holes in the ground, which I think is far more of an impact.”

- mainly through the gas pipeline project and the coal-fired power stations - but renewable energy also has issues.

Native title rights extend over large parts of Gippsland. Mr Miller explained that the footprint goes from the Snowy River - Marlo and Orbost - ‘zig-zags’ up to Mt Hotham, towards Warragul and Drouin, and goes down to Foster.

Some of the key facets of the GlaWac renewable energy strategy include:

“The current native title boundary also extends 200 metres offshore. It’s all about 1.33 million hectares.”

GlaWac Chief Executive, Daniel Miller.

Mr Miller said it was important that the Gunaikurnai people be recognised as rights holders.

“They are recognised by all levels of government as being the First Nations people for here, that deserves some recognition as well,” he said.

Native title extends mainly to Crown land, but not all Crown land.

“If someone owns a house or farm as freehold, there is no impact. Native title is relevant to the whole footprint, but only impacts specifically to areas with native title to Crown land,” he said.

GlaWac is a registered Aboriginal party.

“Concern is not the right word, but they have to meet planning and cultural heritage requirements. We are a registered Aboriginal party and that means we are part of that assessment of the impact on Country,” he said.

“If you are going to be a developer and build units, or caravan park, you have to go through some planning steps. One is to address the requirements of the Aboriginal Culture Heritage Act, which means we work with you to minimise the impact, for example, on test digs, or removing artefacts safely. It doesn’t hold up development but protects culture heritage as best we can.”

“That is a legislative responsibility; we don’t have the power to stop them per se, but we have some influence over the impact on Country. We are being an active contributor in that regard as well and we will always advocate for the best use of Country. If the

Mr Miller said GlaWac was actively doing some policy work on renewable energy.

GlaWac says that historically, the energy sector in Gippsland has taken away irreplaceable cultural heritage and had an impact on the connection to Country

Solar and wind farms on land are also important issues.

The impact of offshore wind on whales, seabirds, migrating birds and culturally significant species; The need for landscape restoration after damage to coastal environments and cultural sites; The Gunaikurnai’s role to collaborate in the monitoring and protecting biodiversity affected by development and have access to all data; Country should be returned to its previous natural state at the end of a project.

Decommission planning and adequate rehabilitation bonds are required up front; Cultural heritage protection such as Ancestors’ resting places; The Gunaikurnai to be embedded in the management of Country, including in Environmental Effects Statements, technical reference groups and other relevant processes; Economic independence - ongoing revenue to be held in trust for the Gunaikurnai community; Aboriginal businesses be empowered to respond to the opportunities presented by the renewable energy transition, and; The transition should create jobs for the Gunaikurnai.

Magnesium recycling project

By PHILIP HOPKINS LATROBE Magnesium has established a major new plant in the Latrobe Valley that cleans up waste from the brown coal power stations, effectively establishing an important recycling project as part of the circular economy.

The company, which is using its own patented technology to eventually produce magnesium for the international market from the Valley’s brown coal fly ash, is a major boost to Valley industry and jobs.

Latrobe Magnesium in May announced the completion of commissioning for the first phase of its 1000 tonnes per annum, Stage 1 demonstration plant.

The plant, which was built over the past year, produces what Latrobe Magnesium (LMG) says is the world’s first environmentally sustainable Magnesium Oxide from fly ash - a waste product from the Yallourn power station.

Production of MgO is the prerequisite for proceeding to the next stage of the operation, a commercial plant with a capacity of more than 10,000 tonnes per annum of magnesium metal. This output is 100 per cent contracted.

Magnesium is classified as a critical mineral in multiple countries, with no current producers across Japan, North America, Europe and the Middle East.

LMG said completing the commissioning phase marked a big milestone in pioneering a sustainable magnesium extraction method at an industrial scale.

Using the company’s world-first hydromet

process showed the value of LMG’s intellectual property.

LMG will now start a bankable feasibility study and financial discussions for the commercial plant. The chief operating officer at LMG, Ronan Gillen, said an investment decision on the commercial plant was expected by the end of the year. “We hope to have the commercial plant operating in 2026,” he said, during a tour of the plant.

Mr Gillen believes that construction of the commercial plant would create more than 300 jobs, while the fully operating plant would have 50-60 permanent jobs. The aim was to employ locals, such as former workers from Australian Paper, he said.

LMG will extract the magnesium metal and other saleable materials from the industrial fly ash, a waste resource from the Yallourn brown coal power station.

There was enough ash from the Yallourn power station for 50 years’ operation, Mr Gillen said.

LMG has been doing research and development on its pioneering technology for 20 years, with various forms of technology tried. The proprietary hydromet process has been extensively tested at laboratories and the CSIRO. Long-term 20-year supply agreements of fly ash and ferro-nickel slag waste feedstocks for the plant’s production have been secured.

LMG’s chief executive, David Paterson, said as the only Western producer of MgO, the importance of LMG’s

production was “globally significant”.

Currently Australia imports 100per cent of the 8000 tonnes annually consumed.

According to LMG, global magnesium demand is forecast to double to two million tonnes by 2027. Magnesium is increasingly used in the manufacture of items such as car parts, electric vehicles, laptop computers, mobile phones and power tools.

Mr Gillen said high quality magnesium would be produced from the Yallourn fly ash, with the whole operation cleaning up some of the environmental legacy of the Valley.

“There are no downstream tailings or waste,” he said. The project employs the principles of the circular economy; it turns 100 per cent of potentially hazardous industrial wastes into magnesium metal and valuable by-products.

LMG said it was the only new magnesium producer in the Western world since 2015 with sustainable production emitting 60 per cent less carbon dioxide than the industry average.

power station. We regrouped and started talks with Yallourn. Energy Australia is

Mr Gillen, a process engineer who has worked in mining for more than 25 years, including many stints in Western Australia, has been with LMG for threeand-a-half years.

For half that time, he worked in production management before he became sick of the remote mining life and transferred to the engineering and construction industry, working on many big projects. He came to LMG with great operation and project delivery experience.

The LMG plant is located on the site of Don di Fabrizio’s former steel construction business, whose steel fabrication was used in building the Loy Yang power station. Other companies leased the land before Latrobe Magnesium took over.

“LMG bought the land off Don, who was excited to see his legacy being put into good use. It’s a shame he is not here to see it (Mr di Fabrizio died in

These saleable by-products including iron oxide, silica, char, agricultural lime and supplementary cementitious material for premium, low CO2 cement production.

Mr Gillen said five-to-six years ago, LMG had been in talks with the Hazelwood power station to take its ash. “We were close to a deal when Engie closed the

totally on board,” he said.

January 2022). The sons visit - they’re thrilled the firm’s legacy is being remembered,” Mr Gillen said.

The ash is transported by truck for the demonstration plant stage. During the EPA application, Mr Gillen said there were no objections, but other arrangements would be put in place for long term.

Mr Gillen said the commercial plant would make the company less reliant on debt.

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Page 6 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

Gippsland’ss Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Here for generationss to come FOR Lisa Gooding, working on the closure of Yallourn power station is personal.

”My parents met in the Yallourn Power Station drafting office in the early 70s, got married and raised a family in the Valley,” she explains.

“My dad worked in the power industry, as did my uncle. My brother and I have followed in their footsteps. It’s a familiar story throughout the Valley. Generations of families have worked at Yallourn.

“It’s much more than a place of employment. It’s at the heart of the community.”

Understanding Yallourn’s significance to the community has been at the core of EnergyAustralia’s approach to its closure in 2028.

“It was important to us to give workers and the community seven years’ notice and to then create a support program so that people can continue to work and live in the Valley beyond closure,” Ms Gooding said.

In November 2022, EnergyAustralia established its pioneering $10 million Yallourn Transition Program, offering employees the chance to retrain and prepare for new opportunities.

studying a Master of Arts in Writing and Literature, looking to pursue a career in communications.

“A career pivot isn’t a new thing for me. I started as a power station chemist, then moved into operations. My studies in writing and literature will hopefully take me into an exciting career path in public relations, marketing or social media,” she said.

James Kelly, a rigger in the Maintenance Response Team, is currently studying a Masters in Environmental Science, an area he has long had an interest in.

“I’m particularly interested in catchment management, ecology and biodiversity.

The field of environmental science is broad and of increasing importance, so I know there are plenty of exciting opportunities in a world beyond 2028,” he said.

A Careers Fair held at Yallourn in mid-August attracted more than 20 suppliers from across Gippsland; all were interested in speaking to the workforce about potential training and career opportunities after closure.

workers’ skills are to the offshore wind sector.

customers need it. The project expects to require up to 80 jobs during construction.

The report maps offshore wind jobs and training opportunities to jobs currently being performed at the Yallourn coal-fired power station and mine – capturing more than half the workforce. It outlines the skills and qualifications that are the same across coal and wind jobs, identifies additional training requirements and highlights where the courses are offered locally in Gippsland.

Supporting workers to prepare for the closure of Yallourn is one part of EnergyAustralia’s approach to helping ensure Gippsland is part of the clean energy transition.

EnergyAustralia, Southerly Ten, Federation University and TAFE Gippsland collaborated on the report with funding from the state government’s Clean Economy Workforce Capacity Building Fund.

It is expected there may also be critical roles within EnergyAustralia’s existing gas-fired power stations, with Jeeralang only 20 minutes away from Yallourn.

Australia’s renewables-based energy system needs lots of solar, wind, and storage capacity, and importantly it will also need gas-fired generation in reserve as we transition to a clean energy future.

Available to Yallourn workers, the program provides services to help plan, prepare, and upskill for the future, whether they are seeking new employment, considering retirement, or exploring self-employment.

“We know our team at Yallourn is enormously talented and have skills that are valuable to others in the growing clean energy sector. It was great to see this confirmed through the goodwill of local organisations at the Careers Fair wanting to help Yallourn workforce identify new opportunities,” Ms Gooding said.

Upgrades have been made to the Jeeralang Power Station near Morwell to help ensure it can provide quick-fire energy capacity when there isn’t enough wind and solar in the system to meet demand.

Tash Agafonoff, a unit controller at Yallourn, said she started her career as a power station chemist, and is now

Opportunities for workers could include transitioning into renewables, with a recent report showing how transferable coal

It is building the 350MW Wooreen Energy Storage System next to the Jeeralang Power Station to help store surplus energy for when

EnergyAustralia is committed to a clean energy future and has invested to ensure that the Gippsland region plays its role.

“The Latrobe Valley has helped power Australian homes and businesses for over 100 years. We don’t want this legacy to end with the closure of coal generated power,” head of Yallourn, Greg McIntyre said.

“Our first focus is on making sure Yallourn continues to be a reliable source of energy in the lead-up to closure and we are partway through a $400M investment into the operations of the Yallourn power station and mine.”

“We feel a strong sense of community within the Valley. We have been here for decades and although Yallourn is closing in 2028, we still have work to do. A new Community Hub has opened in Morwell in August to share EnergyAustralia’s vision for a clean energy future for Gippsland with the community,” Ms Gooding added.

“It’s a time of great change in the Valley. The Hub is one part of how we will work with the community to identify and reimagine what the future of energy generation will be in the region.”

EnergyAustralia’s Community Hub is located at 28 Commercial Road Morwell and is open Tuesday and Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm.

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 7

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Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Committee announces alliance

By TONY CANTWELL

industry developed and off the ground in Australia requires all levels of government, community and industry working together.

INVESTING in our clean energy future has never been so important.

That is why as part of the Gippsland New Energy Conference, we are proud to be launching the Gippsland Offshore Wind Alliance to be delivered by the Committee for Gippsland and the Gippsland Climate Change Network.

As our region undergoes monumental change through an energy transition to net zero, Gippsland has an enormous energy future as Australia’s leading offshore wind zone.

But there’s work to do, and our community and industry need to be part of the process.

The Alliance will create a local platform that operates through a cooperative and collaborative approach to engagement and advocacy to support the region’s ambition to successfully deliver our energy transition through offshore wind.

Governments at all levels need to demonstrate a commitment to regional Australia that secures investment in our infrastructure, our industries and our people.

Australia’s pathway to net zero will require investment in our region that drives industry, supports employment and creates opportunities for our communities across Gippsland.

Gippsland is positioned to take a leading role in the clean energy transition for Victoria and, indeed, the whole country. We have a proud history of energy generation, unparalleled natural resources, a solid base of infrastructure and network connections, a skilled workforce, and a strong tradition as the backbone of Victoria’s electricity grid. Gippsland can take a leading role in Australia’s clean energy future, and offshore wind will be central to delivering this.

In December 2022, the federal government declared an area of the Bass Strait off the Gippsland coast as Australia’s first offshore wind zone.

While the energy source may change, our region’s vision to continue being Victoria’s powerhouse remains the same.

By embracing innovation through technology, increasing employment participation, ensuring reliable and affordable energy continues to be our strength for our industry, Gippsland can be the exemplar to other regions undergoing transition across Australia.

The Gippsland Offshore Wind Alliance will be launched at the Gippsland New Energy Conference.

Offshore wind will play a key role in Australia’s transition to net zero. But there’s work to be done. Getting a new

We all have a role to play in Gippsland’s energy future. Some of the steps that government can undertake to ensure not only a just transition, but one that value adds to our region include: Support clean energy flagship projects that are backed by the community.

Whether it is hydrogen, solar, CCUS (carbon capture utilisation and storage), onshore and offshore wind, clean energy

projects need government support to secure Gippsland’s energy transition.

Bolster Gippsland’s enabling infrastructure by investing in transmission and port infrastructure.

Identify, train and upskill the next generation of clean energy employees.

Gippsland is fortunate to have regional education providers committed to developing the workforce needed to support Gippsland’s future.

Invest in economic opportunities to support the community transition. The community needs to be supported through the transition with social infrastructure such as health and education services that add to our livability and enhances our reputation as a place to live, work and invest.

Create the right regulatory settings.

Governments at all levels must ensure that legislation and policy settings enable regional investment and send a clear message that Gippsland is open for business.

By engaging with business and industry, regional leaders and the community, Gippsland’s strengths can be brought to the fore and help Australia realise its net zero future.

Investing in Gippsland now is delivering Australia’s clean energy future.

Tony Cantwell is the chief executive of the Committee for Gippsland

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GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 9

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Gas the vital link k in transition AT Esso Australia, we are proud to have a long history of reliably supplying essential gas to Australians, with every molecule of our Gippsland gas going exclusively to the domestic market.

metric tons. This accounts for about 40 per cent of all the anthropogenic CO2 that has ever been captured and is equivalent to taking over 25 million cars off the road.

Our recent acquisition of Denbury reflects our determination to profitably grow our Low Carbon Solutions business and we’re harnessing our global knowledge and capability to assess carbon capture and storage in the Gippsland Basin, which the CSIRO has said has world class geology for CO2 storage.

Since Esso and BHP drilled Australia’s first offshore well in 1965, Esso’s engineers and geoscientists have built the legacy that is the Gippsland Basin based on the best people and the best technology to produce more than five billion barrels of liquids and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

To this day, we continue to use our talented team members and advanced technology to ensure we realise the full potential of our fields. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars, including in projects such as the Kipper Compression Project, which will help supply as much gas alone as is consumed in all of Victoria in a year. This, and other projects currently in consideration, will ensure our Gippsland operations continue well into the next decade.

Gippsland’s natural gas is critical not just for heating homes, but also for the energy transition.

Natural gas is a reliable source for required back-up power generation, with the Australian Energy Market Operator recently reporting that 16 per cent gas power generation was required last quarter due to low wind and hydro generation. When the wind isn’t blowing enough to turn wind turbines or the sun isn’t shining to fuel solar panels, gas ensures resilience and stability of the grid.

In 2021, Esso Australia signed two longterm carbon dioxide supply agreements with Air Liquide and BOC to capture and reuse carbon dioxide. The captured CO2 will be processed in Longford and used in food and beverage products, in addition to water treatment, desalination, manufacturing and medical industries.

Longford’s Esso plant in Gippsland will play a key role in carbon capture.

In addition to maintaining a firming role in the electricity market, natural gas is one of the cleanest sources of electricity generation and is key for industries such as glass, bricks, steel, fertiliser, recycling and critical minerals, that don’t have alternative energy or feedstock sources.

industrial sectors that are at the heart of our modern society.

While renewable energy is essential to help us achieve net zero, it is not sufficient alone and cannot reduce emissions in these

Globally, we are a leader in carbon capture and storage, cumulatively capturing more CO2 than any other company - 120 million

Collaboration through a technology-neutral approach is key to supporting the transition to a lower carbon future, and we’re looking at an array of solutions whilst continuing to produce affordable energy.

We are also working with the federal government as they develop policies to encourage the supply of lower emission fuels in the country. Lower emission fuels could make a significant contribution to decarbonising Australian transport, especially in the harder-to-abate sectors such as heavy transport and aviation, while preserving consumer choice.

These projects are all part of our ongoing investment in the Australian economy; we’re supporting the energy transition whilst supplying the energy we are relied upon for.

Because, as the country and our company progress low carbon solutions, gas will continue to play a significant role in power generation to support the energy transition.

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Join over 90,000 businesses across Australia and New Zealand on ICN’s Gateway platform, connecting large, medium and small enterprises to industry opportunities.

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In Victoria, our Gateway database features an impressive number of businesses already linked to Offshore Wind Projects, with a significant presence in Gippsland.

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Over the past four years, ICN has gathered thousands of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for proposed Offshore Wind Projects in Gippsland, opening doors for businesses to be part of this growing industry.

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To connect with us and unlock your potential in the renewables sector, scan the QR code to go to our dedicated Gippsland Project Opportunities page

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Come visit us on stand 12 at Gip ppsland New Energy Conference

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

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GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 11

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Pioneering a Sustainable Future with Renewable Energy Transition LATROBE City stands at the forefront of a transformative journey that seeks to leverage its rich industrial heritage and natural resources, leading into the renewable energy sector.

Long recognised as a powerhouse of energy generation, contributing significantly to Victoria’s energy needs for more than a century, Latrobe City is embracing the opportunity to redefine its future.

This includes attracting investment in renewable energy, which will not only provide sustainable and reliable alternative energy sources, but also create new job opportunities in emerging sectors.

Equitable transition is not just about adapting to change; it’s also about positioning Latrobe City as a hub for renewable energy innovation and development.

Leading the charge in renewable energy LATROBE City Council continues to lead the development of hydrogen technology in the municipality, engaging in a range of activities to support the transition to renewable energy.

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The region’s abundant natural resources, including vast reserves of brown coal, geothermal potential, and significant opportunities for wind and solar energy offer distinct advantages that can be harnessed to support the decarbonisation of Australia’s economy. Latrobe City Council recognises the critical role harnessing natural resources can play in achieving a net-zero economy, not just for Victoria but for the nation, and supports government targets.

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One of the council’s key focus areas is the development of hydrogen technology.

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Hydrogen, often referred to as the fuel of the future, has the potential to revolutionise the energy landscape. Latrobe City is well positioned to lead in this space.

The Japanese government’s announcement of a $2.35 billion AUD investment to establish an international large-scale

liquefied hydrogen supply chain to Japan is a testament to the region’s potential.

This investment builds on the success of the world-first Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) pilot project, which demonstrated that brown coal from Latrobe’s reserves could be used to produce clean liquid hydrogen. The project is built on the foundation of carbon capture and storage (CCS), which is essential to its viability and success. Without CCS, the HESC project would not proceed. This commitment to CCS not only supports the production of clean liquid hydrogen, but also enhances the project’s environmental credentials by significantly reducing emissions.

“Council is dedicated to advancing renewable energy projects that harness the power of sustainable technologies.

Our city is well positioned for hydrogen production, given our history of energy generation, industrial capacity, and existing infrastructure,” Latrobe City Council Mayor, Darren Howe said.

“Council continues to advocate at state and federal levels for alternative uses of Latrobe Valley brown coal to coal-fired electricity generation, and this includes hydrogen.

“Large-scale investments like the HESC project not only support our region’s future economic growth, but also create new industries and high-value skilled jobs, positioning Latrobe City as a leader in the emerging hydrogen economy. This is an unprecedented opportunity to deliver new jobs and career pathways for our community.”

Latrobe City Councillor Kellie O’Callaghan travelled to Japan last October as part of delegations regarding the HESC Project. Cr O’Callaghan is pictured with Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Nishimura Yasutoshi.

The HESC project is only one example of how Latrobe City is working to diversify its economy, ensuring the community benefits from the renewable energy transition.

“We are excited to continue exploring new industries and innovations through clean energy,” Mayor Howe said.

“We have abundant natural resources, a skilled and capable workforce, excellent transportation infrastructure, and a strategic geographical location. By capitalising on these strengths, we can create an environment that fosters entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable economic growth,” the Mayor said.

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“Latrobe City has long been known for its rich natural resources and strong industrial heritage. While we take pride in these foundations, we also recognise the need to adapt and embrace new opportunities to support retaining and attracting skilled workers and industry to the region.

“As the global economic landscape evolves, it is crucial that we proactively position ourselves to thrive in an increasingly diverse and competitive market.

“By embracing renewable energy projects, we can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, through creating a more sustainable energy mix that supports the transformation of our economy.”

A collaborative approach to transition

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THE transition to a renewable energy future requires a coordinated and collaborative approach, and Latrobe City Council is committed to working closely with stakeholders at all levels. This includes ongoing advocacy at both the state and federal levels for government support to pursue opportunities in geothermal and hydrogen technologies.

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Council’s efforts are further bolstered by its strong relationships with industry partners.

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One such partnership is the recent establishment of the Dovetail Electric Aviation Development Centre, in collaboration with Dovetail and Invest Victoria. The centre aims to develop hydrogen technology for regional aircraft, fitting them with batteries and hydrogen propulsion systems to achieve zeroemission flights. This initiative addresses

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Latrobe Valley coal gasification and refining facility.

Page 12 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

the environmental impact of air travel while boosting the clean energy sector.

“Council is committed to securing a more sustainable and diverse economy that ensures a better way of life for the next generation.”

As Latrobe City continues to transition toward a future powered by renewable energy, the leadership and vision demonstrated by Latrobe City Council will be crucial in shaping the region’s trajectory.

With a strong focus on sustainable development, job creation, and economic diversification, Latrobe City is well positioned to become a hub for innovation in the renewable energy sector.

The investments and initiatives currently underway are more than just economic strategies; they are a commitment to the long-term prosperity and wellbeing of the community. By embracing new technologies, fostering collaboration, and maintaining a forward-thinking approach, Latrobe City is set to lead the way in Australia’s clean energy transition.

Council remains dedicated to working closely with government, industry, and the community to ensure Latrobe City not only adapts to change but thrives in the face of it.

The future is bright for Latrobe City.

Through continued efforts, the region will secure its place as a leader in the renewable energy landscape, driving progress for generations to come.

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

Gippsland’ss Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Coldest hour just before the Dawn

GIPPSLAND Dawn Offshore Wind Project has been offered a feasibility licence by the federal government to further its development plans.

BlueFloat Energy, the proponent of Gippsland Dawn, has been active in Gippsland since 2021 and believes the project could be operational by 2031.

Gippsland Dawn is proposed to be located between Paradise Beach and Ocean Grange and has capacity to generate up to 2.1 GW of electricity. The project will create 2000 jobs during construction and 200–300 ongoing jobs during operations and maintenance stages, creating new and enduring supply chains.

It has an operational lifespan of up to 30 years. Capital investment of about $10 billion is proposed, and construction could begin in 2029.

Gippsland Dawn’s Project Director, Darragh White, has welcomed the announcement by the federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen.

“Gippsland Dawn will bring strong and lasting benefits to Gippsland and Australia. We look forward to continuing our

engagement with Minister Chris Bowen, Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, GLaWAC, local communities, unions and the energy industry in Victoria. We will work closely with commercial and recreational fishers and boaters to understand how we can share the ocean,” Mr White said.

“The feasibility licence would enable investigation work, including offshore metocean, geophysical and geotechnical investigations. Detailed technical studies and surveys will be completed. Gippsland Dawn will continue to seek feedback and engage closely with stakeholders and the community during every step of the project’s development.”

A commercial licence is required for the project to move into the construction phase. This will be subject to a range of environmental and planning approvals and obtaining grid connection.

BlueFloat Energy Australia Country Manager, Nick Sankey, said offshore wind was poised to become a critical part of the renewable energy system in Australia.

“Offshore wind will help ensure reliability and security of electricity supply,

particularly as we transition away from fossil fuels. The offshore wind industry will contribute toward the Australian Government’s emissions reduction plan of net zero emissions by 2050. It will also significantly help meet the Victorian government’s emissions reduction target of net zero by 2045,” he said.

BlueFloat Energy Chief Executive, Carlos Martin, said this licence offer was a testament to the company’s commitment to pioneering renewable energy projects in Australia, and affirmed the company’s leadership in the offshore wind sector.

“BlueFloat Energy is one of the most successful offshore wind developers: founded in 2020 and having built a global pipeline of over 34 GW since then, we are thrilled to be offered a feasibility licence for Gippsland Dawn,” Mr Martin said.

“This milestone will pave the way for significant advancements in new energy, supporting the transition away from traditional coal-fired generation to new offshore wind, which will benefit both the environment and the communities we serve in Victoria and wider Australia.”

Gippsland Dawn Project Director, Darragh White.

A star is rising way down south “Star of the South alone could create up to 800 Gippsland jobs. Our current coal and gas workforces already have many of the skills needed to make a move to offshore wind, with trade-based roles, engineers, planners and schedulers all highly transferable,” he said.

STAR of the South, Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, is confident it is on track to deliver energy jobs and opportunities in Gippsland for decades to come.

Built to its full potential of 2.2 gigawatts (GW), Star of the South at full capacity could generate enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes, invest $3.8 billion directly into the Gippsland economy, and create local jobs.

“I believe that offshore wind is going to benefit Gippsland - having this industry on our doorstep will create opportunities for young people to find good quality, long-term work close to home.”

Star of the South is being developed

by Southerly Ten, a Victorian-based company that is a subsidiary of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.

Mr Johnson said local businesses were also well placed to supply offshore wind projects, with years of experience and the skills and capability to support the growing industry.

Project investigations began in 2019 with the deployment of a floating wind monitor in Bass Strait. The chief development officer for Southerly Ten, Erin Coldham, said the project investigations were the very first step.

“We’ve already uncovered tens of millions’ of dollars worth of future supply opportunities for Star of the South. Offshore wind will do more than just supply electricity - it’s also about investing in regional communities for the future,” he said.

“It’s fair to say we were ‘blown away’ by the results,” she said.

“A few months after putting the wind monitors out, Victoria experienced a major heatwave and electricity blackouts.

At the same time, we recorded very strong and consistent winds in Bass Strait.

“That’s when we knew for sure that Gippsland has a very special resource and an ability to continue supplying the reliable energy Victoria needs as Latrobe Valley power plants retire.”

Since then, Star of the South’s feasibility has been thoroughly studied with investigations into the energy market, workforce, supply chain, seabed and environmental studies, and community consultation.

The chief technical development officer, Myles Daniel, said the project had taken a comprehensive approach to build a clear picture of the local environment and conditions.

“We’ve collected data on the marine

Star of the South Chief Executive, Charles Rattray and Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio pictured in Gippsland last year at the announcement of geotechnical works to help design Star of the South. environment over three years and completed Australia’s first seabed studies for offshore wind. Now we’re using this data to plan a safe, responsible and efficient project that is right for this local area,” he said.

With Star of the South’s site investigations complete, the next step is to seek government approvals to proceed to construction.

“There’s a huge amount of work happening behind the scenes to interpret all the data we’ve collected, model

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

different scenarios, refine the project and finalise environmental assessments,” Mr Daniel said.

Star of the South’s assessments will be published once complete. If approved, the project is targeting construction later this decade to deliver first power around 2030.

As a local, the senior manager regional assessment, Paul Johnson, said he was excited about Gippsland’s future and the opportunities offshore wind would bring.

Southerly Ten is also investigating the Kut-Wut Brataualung project - a 2.2 GW offshore wind farm proposed for the Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone off the Gippsland coast.

The feasibility licence was granted for a 689 kilometre square area located 45 kilometres from the southern-most tip of Wilsons Promontory. In May, the project was awarded an offshore feasibility licence by the federal government for Part 3 of the Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone.

The project is at an early stage, with feasibility studies expected to take place over the coming years.

To find out more about the Star of the South and Kut-Wut Brataualung, visit southerlyten.com.au or phone 1800 340 340.

GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 13

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

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By PHILIP HOPKINS GIPPSLAND Skies Offshore Wind, which has the Latrobe Valley energy powerhouse AGL as a shareholder, is confident that its project will bring power, jobs and prosperity to Gippsland, Victoria and Australia.

Gippsland Skies has recently received a feasibility licence from the federal government to start investigative studies to build a wind farm in the South Gippsland declared area off the coast of Waratah Bay. The feasibility licence area is about 53 kilometres from Cape Liptrap and 30km from Wilsons Promontory.

The full potential of the project could deliver 2.5 gigawatts (GW) to Victoria’s electricity network, says the company – at full capacity, enough to power up to 1.4 million Victorian homes and contribute about 17 per cent of the state’s current electricity needs.

The company says its investment has the potential to create more than 4700 jobs in Australia over the 40-plus year life of the project, with almost 2000 of those in Gippsland.

Gippsland Skies’ shareholders, Mainstream Renewable Power, Reventus Power, AGL and DIRECT Infrastructure, has extensive experience developing renewable energy projects and a proven track record in offshore wind. They maintain they have the technical resources and financial backing to deliver their proposal and become a long-term partner for Australia and Victoria.

The proposed project aims to be developed in a phased approach. The feasibility licence is the starting point for a multi-year detailed marine studies, including studies for cable routes to shore. Offshore wind projects can take a considerable length of time to develop due to their scale and complexity.

Based on experience in developing offshore wind around the world, Gippsland Skies has mapped out an indicative project timeline.

The offshore survey program is expected to begin late in 2024, after the start of offshore survey consultation and the state/federal planning approvals process.

leveraging the benefits of the company shareholders’ global footprint.

This process should continue through 2026-27, with a decision on project approval and pre-construction activities in the late 2020s. The first phase is expected to be operational in 2032.

Offshore wind development has the potential to provide opportunities for existing workers to transition to clean energy jobs.

Gippsland Skies says it will work closely with stakeholders to establish development solutions that seek to respond to their needs and concerns. The company is clear about its aim: to craft a project proposal in partnership with the region’s Traditional Owners, local communities and stakeholders that addresses local needs and supports regional development whilst

All engagement conducted by Gippsland Skies will be underpinned by its core values of safety, respect, integrity, innovation and sustainability, the company says.

Gippsland Skies and the other offshore wind developers maintain their projects will help advance state and federal decarbonisation objectives. The Gippsland Skies project on its own has potential to offset around 9.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Offshore wind energy promise to play a key role in Australia’s transition to renewables and goal to achieve net zero emissions.

German efficiency y to make a splash THE German energy giant RWE has been granted a feasibility licence from the Australian government to develop an offshore wind farm close to the Kent Group islands in the Bass Strait, off the Gippsland coast.

This area is Australia’s first designated offshore wind zone. This licence approval grants RWE, a key global player in renewable energy, an exclusive seven-year seabed right to develop the Kent Offshore Wind Farm project. The approval also allows RWE to apply for a commercial licence to build and operate the wind farm for up to 40 years.

approvals process, secured offtake as well as grid connection.

The chief executive of RWE Offshore Wind, Sven Utermöhlen, said Australia was a very attractive growth market for renewable energy. RWE has been active in the country for 10 years and operates one of Australia’s largest solar farms.

“By securing exclusive seabed rights in the Bass Strait off Gippsland, we are now entering the Australian offshore wind market and will bring our more than 20 years of experience in this field,” Mr Utermöhlen said.

The lease area awarded to RWE has the potential to host a wind farm with up to 2 gigawatts (GW) of capacity. The site is about 67 kilometres off the coast and has average water depths of 59 metres.

“With the Kent project, we will work on developing one of the first offshore wind farms off the Australian coast. This is in line with our strategy to grow our renewables portfolio in Australia and the wider APAC region.”

The wind farm is expected to become operational in the first half of the 2030s, subject to the timing of the planning and

The next step for RWE in the further development of this early-stage project is to carry out studies to help determine the

project design and to submit applications for planning permission. RWE will also engage with key stakeholders, First Nations groups and other communities.

Another key milestone in the project’s development at a later stage is to secure an offtake agreement.

RWE is one of the world’s largest offshore wind companies, with a more than 20-year track record of developing, building, and operating offshore wind projects efficiently. The company currently operates 19 offshore wind farms.

New offshore wind farms with a total capacity of more than 4 GW are currently under construction in Europe and further offshore projects are under development worldwide. RWE wants to grow its global offshore wind capacity from 3.3 GW today to 10 GW in 2030.

of one of the country’s largest solar farms – the 249 megawatt (MW) Limondale Solar Farm in New South Wales (NSW) and has been operating it ever since.

In 2023, RWE’s eight-hour lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) was the only successful project in New South Wales’ first long duration storage long-term energy service agreements tender process to deliver and operate Australia’s first eight-hour battery.

Construction on the battery project, which will be located adjacent to the existing Limondale Solar Farm, will begin later this year.

RWE plans to invest about $6 billion by 2030 to develop up to 3 GW of onshore wind, solar and battery projects across the country.

The RWE Group has been in Australia since 2013. In 2018 it began construction

RWE is based in Melbourne and has a team of almost 70 employees in the country, supported by the global RWE team.

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The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

Gippsland’ss Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Vessel booked to lay cable

By PHILIP HOPKINS

Marinus Link is a proposed 1500 high megawatt, voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity interconnector between Heybridge in north-west Tasmania and Hazelwood in the Latrobe Valley. Marinus Link will improve the connection between Tasmania and the national grid.

MARINUS Link, having just completed exhibiting its environmental approvals process, has signed a major contract with the Italian company Prysmian to supply the project’s high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables.

The project’s cables span 345 kilometres.

This includes 255km of undersea cables across Bass Strait and 90km of underground cables running through South Gippsland to Hazelwood. The project will make landfall at Waratah Bay.

The contract ensures the design, manufacture, supply and installation for Stage 1 of the Marinus Link interconnector project, a 750-megawatt HVDC cable system, scheduled for completion in 2030.

This follows completion of the public exhibition for environmental approvals for the project between May and July. The public exhibition was for Marinus Link’s Commonwealth and Victorian environmental assessment documents.

At both Heybridge and Hazelwood, a converter station will be built to enable Marinus Link to connect into the electricity grids in Victoria and Tasmania.

The project will be implemented as two 750MW stages. Each stage will comprise two power cables and a fibre optic communications cable.

Marinus Link will traverse South Gippsland farmland to and from the Latrobe Valley to create an energy and telecommunications link between Victoria and Tasmania.

Marinus Link is a cornerstone project of the federal government’s Rewiring the Nation Plan and is classified as urgent in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s national energy plan.

Marinus Link Chief Executive, Caroline Wykamp, said the Italian company is the largest cable manufacturer in the world.

“Prysmian has proven and global expertise in delivering projects like Marinus Link,” Ms Wykamp said.

“We have booked their most advanced cabling vessel - the Leonardo Da Vinci.

“Marinus Link will enable Tasmania to import excess supply of solar and wind produced interstate, while reserving its hydro and

Marinus Link is owned by the Australian, Tasmanian and Victorian governments and is responsible for progressing the Marinus Link interconnector project.

The proposed route for Marinus Link will run from Heybridge, just east of Burnie in North West Tasmania, to the Hazelwood area of the Latrobe Valley. storing the extra energy. Clean hydropower can then feed the national grid when it is needed most, acting as a large battery for the nation.”

Ms Wycamp said Marinus Link was

essential to Australia’s renewable energy future.

“We are planning to build and operate it in a way that minimises environmental impact,” she said.

Marinus Link’s 1500MW capacity is about three times the capacity of the existing Tasmania to Victoria interconnector, Basslink.

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'Urgent' needforcarboncapture

By PHILIP HOPKINS THE world is moving very fast on carbon capture and storage (CCS); the number of projects being built, commissioned, rolled out or in the planning phase is now growing exponentially in a bid to meet zero greenhouse emission targets, according to a leading Australian scientist.

The chief executive of the CO2CRC, Dr Matthias Raab, said under every single scenario by the most eminent energy authorities – the International Energy Agency, or the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - not a single short, medium, or long-term scenario to reach emissions reduction targets was possible “without a significant contribution from CCS”.

The CO2CRC (Co-operative Research Centre), operating since 2003 and based in East Melbourne, is a leader in carbon capture utilisation and storage research.

Dr Raab said worldwide, the CCS contribution was being positioned at 10 per cent across industries.

“Ten per cent equates to about 4 billion tonnes of CO2 per year needs to be sequestered - a staggeringly large number,” he said.

Historically, CCS was associated with the fossil fuel industry, “but it is far beyond fossil fuel”.

“The important material pillars of our society are steel, cement, fertiliser and plastics – hard to abate sectors that are very difficult to decarbonise,” he said.

For example, the embedded emissions of plastics were the product of fossil fuels.

“There are no alternative products to steel, cement, plastics and the production of world’s fertiliser. More than 95 per cent of fertiliser is made from gas; we are looking at food security,” he said.

Dr Raab said CCS would play an everincreasing decarbonising role.

“The population is growing, thus demand for energy is growing, the standard of living is growing and thus energy demand is growing,” he said.

“When we look at the roll-out of renewable or alternative energies globally, we are currently at best offsetting the demand of new energy, not reducing the total emissions profile in the world. We need to recognise energy demand when talking of emissions reduction.”

Dr Raab said CCS in Australia would play a larger than 10 per cent component in emissions reduction.

“These will be the foundation projects that enable other industry sectors to reduce their emissions through geological carbon storage. CarbonNet is one of these projects that will act as a hub to take emissions from different industries,” he said.

CarbonNet aims to get CO2 emissions from the Latrobe Valley via a pipeline to empty oil and gas reservoirs in Bass Strait.

Dr Raab said under the federal Safeguard Mechanism, more than 220 facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 per year would have to reduce baseline emissions by five per cent per year.

“This is a big challenge once some initial efficiencies have been achieved. For most facilities, capturing and storing the CO2 may be one of the few options that they have to reach their true deep reduction targets,” he said.

Emitters needed to have the right policy mechanism and right strategic partnerships to store their CO2 elsewhere.

“That is where the oil and gas industry offshore and some projects onshore, will play a significant role for the safeguard

CO2CRC Chief Executive, Dr Matthias Raab. facilities to provide a pathway to where they can store their CO2,” Dr Rabb said.

Dr Raab said the practicalities were challenged by the legal, policy and permit environment in state and federal legislation.

“We have worked with industry and government. To map out the permit process for large-scale offshore facilities and the process will take six to 10 years if everything goes very smoothly. Once the permitting process is completed, major final investment decisions can be made,” he said.

“However, if you put the two timelines together, they are not stacking up. The emitters are forced to reduce their emissions faster than options are available for them.

This is not just CCS. We are also talking about initial high expectations to hydrogen ideally leapfrogging blue and grey going straight to green, but this rollout is significantly slower and more expensive.”

A big investor like ‘Twiggy’ Forrest had essentially reversed his green pledges.

“Not having produced a kilogram of green hydrogen so far is a major setback to the pace of rollout but does not mean it’s not coming. We do need a market that is prepared to pay a high price for green hydrogen or green products,” he said.

Dr Raab said the government decision to not allow Glencore to go ahead with CCS in the Artesian Basin was a major setback.

“The decision was purely political,” he said.

Scientifically, in assessing suitable geological storage, many opportunities existed to store the quantity of CO2 that the project was proposing in the GAB without any environmental impacts, locked away deep underground from the water.

“We need clarity to find appropriate storage reservoirs, basins. We also need to have the courage to manage all stakeholders in the area with facts. The moment it is politicised, we are stifling progress in reducing our emissions significantly,” he said.

“The decision by the Queensland government is a major setback for onshore

Page 16 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

CCS in Queensland, but also stifles investor confidence in other projects.”

However, Dr Raab said Gippsland had the advantage of going offshore into depleted reservoirs, “a much more favourable proposition”.

The federal Resources Minister, Madeleine King, had just released another 10 greenhouse gas assessment projects around the country including the Gippsland Basin.

“The announcements simply says, ‘Companies, the acreage is available, you progress and build your projects’. That’s a big tick, a big way forward,” he said.

Dr Raab emphasised that it had been known for the past 20 years about Gippsland Bass Strait’s world class storage resources. Victoria was well placed because of the close proximity between the emitters and the Basins (Gippsland and Otway) for large scale CCS projects.

“Now with HESC (Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain), we have significant interest from Japan to invest in Victoria, to produce clean hydrogen that meets the green hydrogen target of emission threshold in Japan, and which will be the perfect combination between hydrogen production and low cost, low emissions with CCS, and which will kick-start the hydrogen economy in Victoria,” he said.

“Continuing to have investment from Japan and providing energy security essentially to our domestic supply and overseas customers - that is the long-term key strategy for companies like CO2CRC. We have been demonstrating (in the Otway Basin) the safe storage of CO2 that we can monitor the movement of CO2 in the subsurface for the last 20 years in Victoria.”

Dr Raab said the CO2CRC had worked closely with the CarbonNet project as the lead research association.

“Any of the technologies we have developed are essentially 10 years ahead of where the industry currently stands.

These are huge opportunities for Australian innovation to be deployed in the next generation projects like CarbonNet, to really drive down costs and give confidence to regulators and the general public in how efficiently and safely we can store CO2 irrespective of where the CO2 comes from,” he said.

Dr Raab is confident that the Victorian government has the expertise to assess the CCS research.

“We work effectively with the EPA, with the petroleum and water regulators. For every new technology we were testing, we were working closely with them, briefing them about our stringent internationally peerreviewed process,” he said.

“We took the regulators for every activity along the journey, therefore we have built confidence over the last two decades and have data sets over the last two decades that prove what we have done. We have set new benchmarks.”

Given the precision of what the CO2CRC

had done, “we can safeguard any impacts on the environment and human health”.

Dr Raab said these technologies were available for the CarbonNet project and any project in Australia.

“Esso Australia is investing in technology development and advancement in CO2CRC, together with pretty much all the other players in Australia,” he said.

“All the investment, all the outcomes, are made publicly available on our website and they can read our publications. We do publish in international peer-reviewed journals. That underpins the scientific rigour and veracity of our work.

“We have strong in-house capability, but we work with Geoscience Australia, the CSIRO, the major universities - Melbourne, Monash, Curtin, Federation University - pretty much all the G8 research partners.

“Internationally, we work with leading scientific institutions, so we have the leaders in their field leading the research internationally with the CO2CRC. We have the majority of our funding from industry, a smaller percentage from the Department of Climate Change, for international research and collaboration, also with Japan and South Korea. All our partners consider CCS as an investment advancing our society and ability to reduce emissions, so all our research is made publicly available.”

Dr Raab said CarbonNet, like other projects in Australia, would be the incubators for more carbon dioxide from other facilities being supplied to another reliable storage.

“It’s critical infrastructure to have future technologies like direct air capture being connected to a geological carbon storage provider and to a pipeline network,” he said.

“There is a role of government, we know from other countries like the UK, who are decarbonising their industry centres; the government plays a significant role in providing the right policy environment.”

Issues for government included the use of shared infrastructure; the different costs that different industries have to capture their CO2; how that can be incentivised and harmonised across an industry complex; and the complexity of the custody chain of CO2 from capture to transport and storage to optimise performance across the value chain.

“These are important; CCS works best at scale. We need long-term policy support and stability for infrastructure investments of that scale to be undertaken, and for CCS to come to its full potential and take large amount of CO2 over long periods of time, and therefore have a significant impact on Victoria’s and Australia’s emission profile,” he said.

Dr Raab said the CarbonNet project was recognised around the world.

“We have a very good working relationship with the CarbonNet Project and CarbonNet is liaising with Australia’s research landscape for CCS,” he said.

“Melbourne is essentially the world’s centre for CCS knowledge. We’ve got the Global CCS Institute headquartered in Melbourne, CarbonNet and CO2CRC based in Melbourne, the Peter Cook Centre for CCS research at Melbourne University - that makes four major organisations focussing on research, assessment, policy and project development, all in one place.

“CO2CRC is still the only operator of an onshore CCS research project in Australia the Otway international test centre between Port Campbell and Warrnambool on the Great Ocean Road - and we have been the practitioner for 20 years.”

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

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GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 17

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Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Project partners in carbon capture THE Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project welcomes the 2024 Gippsland New Energy Conference, highlighting the importance of the regional transition in developing a new clean energy hub in Gippsland.

Industry leaders J-Power and Sumitomo Corporation Joint Venture (JPSC JV) propose to establish a hydrogen production facility in the Latrobe Valley to produce clean hydrogen, extracted from Latrobe Valley coal combined with carbon capture and storage, for both domestic and international customers.

Japan Suiso Energy (JSE), comprised of Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Iwatani Corporation, is responsible for the downstream elements of the supply chain, and aims to liquefy a portion of JPSC JV clean hydrogen in Hastings for transport to Japan.

Yuko Fukuma, acting general manager of HEA (KHI’s subsidiary), said HESC’s proven technical feasibility makes it a promising solution to energy challenges.

Ms Fukuma said the HESC Pilot Project, successfully completed in 2022 by HESC Project Partners, was a world-first and

shows that hydrogen can be a fuel of the future.

“The Suiso Frontier, the world’s first liquefied hydrogen carrier used in the pilot, is proof that this supply chain between Victoria and Japan is technically viable.

JSE’s commercial-scale carrier can improve upon these achievements,” she said.

“Aligned with JPSC JV, JSE is deep in economic studies to prepare for the upscale to a commercial phase.”

This project will deliver jobs and upskill existing local workers to support the emergence of a clean energy industry in Gippsland, Hastings, and particularly in the Latrobe Valley, as coal-fired power stations close.

Jeremy Stone, the non-executive director of J-Power Latrobe Valley, said JPSC JV is currently in the late stages of its engineering feasibility and economic studies.

“These studies are the next step towards a commercial phase of the project,” Mr Stone said.

The development of accurate measures

of carbon intensity (kg CO2 per kg of hydrogen) is important for the regulation of clean energy projects, like the proposed JPSC JV hydrogen production project in Latrobe Valley.

The Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, in development by the federal government, is a national certification scheme measuring the carbon intensity from source to finished product.

“We welcome the transparency and market opportunities that the GO scheme creates. I think it will be an overall benefit for the energy industry as customers need this number to determine their own CO2 reduction - colours are not enough,” Mr Stone said.

The Albanese government recently announced it would fast-track the GO Scheme, aiming to have it operational by mid-2025. If successful, it will increase transparency amongst energy sources and set a strong foundation for a clean energy market.

Masaki Ozawa, the head of Sumitomo Corporation’s Subsurface Energy Team, says the GO scheme is crucial in establishing a clean energy market and

moving away from the confusing colour categories currently used.

“The notion of using colours to group highly varied forms of energy production is outdated. Applying the GO and looking at the numbers (carbon intensity) instead will allow customers, producers, and regulators to make decisions around facts,” Mr Ozawa said.

“This will be especially important in establishing markets around clean energy sources, where the numbers will serve the basis for price points.”

The JPSC JV will use carbon capture and storage to reduce its project’s carbon intensity to meet global standards for clean hydrogen. In Gippsland, there are two excellent opportunities for carbon storage: CarbonNet’s Bass Strait Project and the depleted oil and gas reservoirs of Exxon’s affiliated Gippsland Basin Joint Venture CCS Hub. Jeremy Stone will represent the HESC Project at the 2024 Gippsland Energy Conference to connect with respected stakeholders and interact closer with Gippsland’s energy transition.

Potential to store up to six million tonnes

By PHILIP HOPKINS CARBONNET, whose program is regarded as integral to Gippsland’s energy and industrial future, is continuing information drop-in sessions in towns adjacent to the project’s proposed pipeline route between the Latrobe Valley and the Gippsland coast.

Locations included Golden Beach, Flynn, Sale and Rosedale. An online information session was also held.

At the sessions, project team members were available to speak about the project’s progress, CarbonNet’s upcoming referrals and answer questions from the community.

Key topics of conversation were the project’s proposed pipeline corridor, upcoming environmental surveys and future approval milestones.

CarbonNet, funded by the state and federal governments, plans to build a 100-kilometre pipeline from Loy Yang to the Gippsland Basin that will enable multiple CO2 industrial capture projects to be stored in empty gas and oil reservoirs in Bass Strait.

A business case for the CarbonNet Project is set to be presented to the federal and state governments.

CarbonNet’s director, Jane Burton, who grew up in the Latrobe Valley, told a recent energy conference that the project was undertaking market soundings with a diverse range of stakeholders.

These included customers, developers, contractors, equity, and debt investors to inform the commercial modelling, strategy and entity type for the project moving forward.

CarbonNet began in 2010, two years after the Kyoto Protocol began when the Paris Agreement on climate change was still six years away.

The federal government’s Carbon

CarbonNet Director, Jane Burton.

Capture and Storage (CCS) Flagship program was created to support a variety of CO2 capture, transportation and storage demonstration projects. The objective of the program was to promote the use of CCS technology, demonstrate Australia’s storage resources, support trials, build capacity, and create links with existing international projects.

Ms Burton said the value of CarbonNet, part of the original CCS Flagship program, was the excellent geology in the Gippsland Basin and the close proximity of storage sites to the Latrobe Valley’s coal fired power stations.

“This early thinking has since pivoted toward supporting new clean industries such as hydrogen, ammonia/fertiliser and biomass, and supporting the transition of a broad range of existing high emitters to low emissions technology, aided by drivers such as the safeguard mechanism,” she said.

The safeguard mechanism regulates the greenhouse emissions of Australia’s biggest 215 companies.

CarbonNet proposes to establish a commercial scale CCS hub that will

enable new and existing decarbonised industries to contribute to legislated government targets, such as Victoria’s 2035 interim emissions reduction target and a net zero emissions outcome by 2045.

preliminary cost estimate, material specifications and the construction timeline, as well as providing input into approvals documentation and procurement of long lead equipment,” Ms Burton said.

CarbonNet manages two offshore GHG permits for sites in the Gippsland Basin Pelican and Kookaburra.

“The project is currently progressing the primary regulatory approvals for the Pelican storage site to achieve the required injection licence. The environmental approvals process is anticipated to take several years.

A comprehensive community and stakeholder engagement process, in line with government guidelines, will accompany the approvals program.”

“There is potential for CarbonNet to transport and store up to six million tonnes of CO2 per year at the initial Pelican site once fully operational. It will likely take up to three years to reach this level once CarbonNet is commissioned.

Additional storage capacity will be available in future with expansion of the network to the Kookaburra site,” Ms Burton said.

“Delivery of CarbonNet is anticipated to create jobs and investment relating both to the project and enabled industries such as hydrogen, ammonia/fertiliser and bioenergy. The project will also focus on future benefits for communities and landowners, including Traditional Owners in Gippsland.”

CarbonNet’s proposed pipeline will consist of 80km of buried onshore pipeline with about a further 20km offshore, reaching multiple drill centres at the Pelican site.

“The final proposed pipeline route will be confirmed through stakeholder engagement, field surveys and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) outcomes,” she said.

“This significant project milestone has provided data that informs the Pelican development concept, including

“The regional traditional owners (GLaWAC – Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation) are a key stakeholder, this relationship will soon expand with the development of the project’s cultural heritage management plan,” she said.

The CarbonNet Community Reference Group, established in 2019 and chaired

by Victoria’s Lead Scientist, Amanda Caples, meets quarterly to receive project updates and discuss emerging issues.

Ms Burton said regulatory approvals paved the way for consultations with potentially affected landowners in September 2023.

FEED was completed in February of this year.

Ms Burton said CarbonNet, well known across the CCS industry and academia, was well understood in Gippsland and supported across local governments, industry groups such as Committee for Gippsland and local industry.

The project also produces educational programs and events for primary and secondary school students, focusing on CCS as a decarbonisation tool, including an annual Science Week event, and sponsorship of the University of Melbourne CCS short course.

Ms Burton said adding to the complexity was Gippsland Basin being made Australia’s first declared offshore wind zone in 2022.

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Page 18 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

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Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Nuclearr possibility for Gippsland

By PHILIP HOPKINS THE potential for nuclear power to provide electricity free of greenhouse gas emissions has emerged as a possible part of Gippsland’s new energy future.

The Loy Yang power stations in the Latrobe Valley have been identified by the federal Opposition as a site for a zero-emissions nuclear power station, under a policy released earlier this year that also aims to generate regional economic development.

“Nuclear energy for Australia is an idea whose time has come,” said the Coalition, which maintains that nuclear energy, proven to lower electricity prices and emissions all over the world, would work in partnership with renewable energy and gas as part of a balanced energy mix.

Loy Yang is one of seven identified locations, located at a power station that has closed or is scheduled to close, around Australia.

The Coalition says no country in the world relies solely on solar and wind as the Labor Party’s policy stipulates.

occur alongside a comprehensive site study including detailed technical and economic assessments,” the Coalition policy says.

By contrast, there are 32 countries operating zero-emissions nuclear plants. Another 50 countries are looking to do so. Of the world’s 20 largest economies, Australia is the only one not using nuclear energy, or moving towards using it.

Under the policy, a federal Coalition government will initially develop two establishment projects using either small modular reactors or modern larger plants.

The Coalition says its plan would deliver a net-zero electricity grid by 2050 and a strong and resilient economy with cheaper, cleaner and consistent electricity.

Communities that host zero-emissions nuclear plants would be at the front of this next wave of growth.

“Not only will local communities benefit from high-paying, multi-generational jobs, but communities will be empowered to maximise the benefits from hosting an asset of national importance,” the Coalition says.

This would be through:

“Each of these locations offer important technical attributes needed for a zero-emissions nuclear plant, including cooling water capacity and transmission infrastructure; that is, we can use the existing poles and wires, along with a local community which has a skilled workforce,” the Coalition said.

An integrated economic development zone to attract manufacturing, value-add and high-tech industry, and;

“A key advantage of modern zero-emissions nuclear plants is they can be plugged into existing grids. This means they can effectively replace retired or retiring coal plants and avoid much of the new spending needed for Labor’s ‘renewables-only’ system, including new transmission poles and wires.”

A Community Partnership would be formed in each host community, consisting of experienced local representatives, as the focal point for community engagement and to play an important role in planning the future of the region.

A multi-billion-dollar facility guaranteeing high-paying jobs for generations to come;

A regional deal unlocking investment in modern infrastructure, services and community priorities.

“This community engagement process will

A little from column A on forward planning AGL is preparing for the closure of Loy Yang A power station in 2035 and the transition of the site into an integrated energy hub.

The Loy Yang venture is part of AGL’s Climate Transition Action Plan, under which the company will transition all its coal power station sites - the Hunter, Torrens as well as Loy Yang A - into integrated energy hubs These hubs will leverage the unique infrastructure, land, transport access, and grid connectivity of the company’s Loy Yang, Hunter and Torrens sites to create hubs that integrate things such as renewable energy industries, grid-scale batteries, and green advanced manufacturing.

The energy hubs are being designed with the three principles of the circular economy - eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.

The Loy Yang site has access to land, water, excellent transport links, easy access to the grid and a skilled local workforce.

Current options being explored at Loy Yang are: An MOU has been signed with the Solar Recovery Corporation for a two-year feasibility study into establishing a solar panel materials recovery facility.

The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project at Loy Yang - a collaborative initiative between leading Australian and Japanese companies, and

the Victorian, Australian and Japanese governments. Feasibility studies are ongoing to assess conversion of lignite to hydrogen with carbon capture and storage technology to produce low-carbon hydrogen for export opportunities.

Grid-scale battery. AGL is completing early concept work regarding the viability of a grid-scale battery at the site.

AGL is also part of the Gippsland Skies consortium of companies that have been awarded a feasibility license for a fixed bottom 2.5GW offshore wind farm off the coast of Gippsland.

AGL’s longer term approach seeks to bring renewable energy industries, grid-scale batteries, and associated industries to be partners to the site.

The Hunter Energy Hub provides an example of the kinds of partnerships the company could bring to the Latrobe Valley energy hub, noting the differences in the two sites.

What AGL is doing at the Hunter Energy Hub will help inform how the company progresses potential partnerships.

AGL is focussed on increasing the availability and flexibility of the Loy Yang power station, and planning to transition the site in the Latrobe Valley Energy Hub, continuing AGL’s contribution to Gippsland for decades to come.

Page 20 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

“They will start producing electricity by 2035 (with small modular reactors) or 2037 (if modern larger plants are found to be the best option). The Australian government will own these assets, but form partnerships with experienced nuclear companies to build and operate them,” the policy says.

The coalition says to meet net zero by Australia’s 2050 emissions commitments, zero-emission nuclear has to be part of the energy mix.

“Zero-emission nuclear power plants produce no air pollution or carbon emissions. For example, a 1.1 GW AP-1000 reactor cuts approximately seven million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to removing 1.5 million cars from the road,” the Coalition says.

“A zero-emissions nuclear power plant will be a national asset delivering cheaper, cleaner and consistent energy for 80 years.

“We believe Australians are up for this discussion and are open-minded about including zero-emissions nuclear technology as part of a balanced energy mix.”

The Coalition is expected to release more details about its policy later this year, including information about its costs and how nuclear would interact with Australia’s renewable energy system.

Laying it all on the table A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Morwell this month to discuss whether the Latrobe Valley could play a central role in Australia becoming a nuclear-powered nation.

The community information evening, on September 18 from 6pm-8pm, will be held at the Morwell RSL. A key speaker will be Latrobe City Councillor, Graeme Middlemiss, who is a former secretary of the Gippsland Trades and Labor Council.

The meeting has been organised by Nuclear for Climate Australia, Going Fission and a pro-science environment group We Planet Australia.

Apart from Cr Middlemiss, the speakers are a civil engineer, Robert Parker, who has a Master of Nuclear Science and is a former president of the Australian Nuclear Association; an electrical engineer, Dr Robert Barr AM, who is a former National President of the Electric Energy Society of Australia; and Dr Andrea Leong, president of WePlanet Australia.

The organisers stress that ‘good-faith engagement’ is expected from all attendees.

Enquiries can be made with Logan Smith, MEngSci (Nuclear) on 0448 960 729.

A little from column B

LOY Yang B is a brown coal-fired power station based in the Latrobe Valley.

It has two electricity generating units that together provide up to 1200MW of baseload power, about 20 per cent of Victoria’s energy needs.

The power station provides essential system strength services alongside firm energy supply to support Victoria’s transition to renewable energy. This reliable supply will remain critical until the transitioning electricity system becomes mature enough to provide the stability the market needs.

Loy Yang B General Manager, Tony Hicks, said in line with its asset strategy and operating licences, Loy Yang B would close in 2047 or earlier, depending on market needs.

“We recognise our power station’s retirement is unlikely to be a unilateral decision by the owners and will be heavily influenced by key stakeholders and the requirements of the National Electricity Market,” he said.

“We know Australians want to transition to renewable energy and we’re investigating how we can support national emissions reduction targets while also generating a reliable supply of electricity.”

During the past few years, Loy Yang B has made improvements to the plant to increase operational flexibility for a faster response to market requirements, including operating

at lower loads when wind, solar, and other renewables are available, and increasing operations to provide a reliable supply of energy when they aren’t.

“Our proactive maintenance practices underpin our solid reliability and plant integrity, which is world-class when benchmarked against Australian and international counterparts,” Mr Hicks said.

“We have a long remaining technical life - a plant which has been well maintained, a solid history of high reliability, availability and plant performance, and a dedicated and highly skilled operations and maintenance workforce.

“All these factors put us in a strong position to adapt to electricity market requirements, whether that be continuing to operate on coal for as long as we’re needed or reinventing the power station site to support the energy transition.”

Mr Hicks said Loy Yang B was looking for innovative ways to decarbonise the power station, with large-scale batteries, the conversion of the power station to generate essential baseload renewable electricity from sustainably sourced biomass, and the addition of Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage, or BECCS, to a sustainable biomass fuelled power station. All options being considered.

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

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Gippsland’s Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Councils opt to back EfW project THE Maryvale Energy from Waste project, which will bring a new energy industry to Gippsland, has won deal-making multicouncil waste tenders.

Diverting the residual waste from landfill will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 270,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to removing 50,000 cars from the road per year.

More than a dozen Victorian councils have committed their non-recyclable household waste to the Maryvale Energy from Waste (EfW) project, which is the most progressed of its kind in Victoria, to help divert the waste from landfill.

The project consortium, made up of Veolia ANZ, Masdar Tribe Australia and Opal, secured a waste supply agreement with nine Melbourne councils, made up of the Shire Councils of Cardinia and Yarra Ranges, and the City Councils of Bayside, Casey, Greater Dandenong, Frankston, Kingston, Knox and Whitehorse.

South East Metropolitan Advanced Waste Processing (SEMAWP) Pty Ltd, is the single entity of the nine councils. SEMAWP’s board chair and Bayside City Council Chief Executive, Mick Cummins, said it was a great outcome for residents of the nine councils involved in the project, that began in 2020.

In line with the circular economy, the Maryvale EfW project is focused on maximising recovery of by-products created during the energy-generating process and identifying value-added ways to recycle and re-use these.

Using world-leading technology, by-products will be converted into aggregates for use in construction. By doing so, the facility will target more than 99 per cent diversion of residual waste from landfill.

The Maryvale Energy from Waste project is on the way.

Council, which has previously signed an agreement, and Latrobe City Council, which has resolved to support the project, while another two councils are in the process of finalising agreements.

Speaking on behalf of the consortium, the Veolia ANZ Chief Executive, Richard Kirkman, said securing the councils’ waste was significant.

“This advanced waste processing solution provides an alternative to landfill that makes better use of household waste than burying it in the ground and will put items that can’t be reused or recycled to better use,” Mr Cummins said.

“The supply agreements with councils mean the project has reached the waste volumes required to finalise the design and construction costs of the EfW facility, before moving to financial close,” Dr Kirkman said.

The nine councils join Maroondah City

“We are excited to have won these

waste tenders. It is a testament to their commitment to their local communities and moving to a more sustainable waste management solution compared to landfill.

“Our facility in Maryvale will help Australia reach net zero faster by going beyond just landfilling practices, and managing Victoria’s waste immediately instead of leaving it to future generations to manage.”

The Maryvale EfW facility will provide a sustainable and innovative waste management solution for the councils by recovering energy from their non-recyclable waste to help power the Maryvale Paper Mill.

The EfW facility, which will bring a new energy industry to Gippsland, is expected to support about 500 jobs during the construction phase and an estimated 450 local jobs once operational, including direct and flow-on.

The state government recently granted the Maryvale project the first Energy from Waste licence under the state’s circular economy laws.

The Maryvale Energy from Waste project will be built at Opal Australian Paper’s Maryvale Mill. Veolia, which already operates 65 EfW facilities around the world and will soon operate the two EfW facilities in Western Australia, will operate and maintain the facility.

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Big role for local manufacturers

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE Industry Capability Network, which sources local business expertise for economic activity and projects, has thrown its support behind the Gippsland New Energy Conference, according to the chief executive, Nick Foa. “The ICN has been supporting industry for more than 40 years - this is our 40th anniversary - and we have worked with thousands of businesses across Victoria to ensure we keep as much local manufacturing and local content as we can in this state,” Mr Foa said, speaking before the Gippsland Energy Conference.

“That’s what we were set up by government to do - implement a local jobs policy. We are not-for-profit company and independent from government.

“We work across variety of sectors, from transport to manufacturing, metallurgy, tech and now renewable energy. One of the key reasons we sponsor GENEC is we want to work with businesses across Gippsland to ensure that businesses in Gippsland know how to reap the benefits from all the new investment coming in the renewable space.”

Mr Foa said it was important that even if overseas firms come into Victoria, “they get their supply chain active and be aided by local businesses”.

“It’s our job to help those local businesses to connect with the large international companies that are coming into invest, and help lift their capability and connect them together,” he said.

For example, a business may work on one element of the problem, such as a switchboard; ICN could connect them to a cabling company or with a supply chain that was likely to be able to take

part in the new investments.

Gippsland has dedicated ICN adviser, Colin Young.

“Each time there is a new project, he puts up on our Gateway site a new Gateway page for that event. Companies can register on Gateway for free and get notification about new projects as they are listed,” Mr Foa said.

A recent report by Emeritus Professor Roy Green from the University of Technology recommended it should be mandatory for project proponents to work with ICN and thus connect businesses to opportunities.

In an interview with the Australian Manufacturing Forum, Professor Green said it was about information asymmetries.

“The market doesn’t deliver the information that companies need, so we need intermediaries which can maximise opportunities for locals,” he said.

“If we have a model whereby big projects can just outsource to anyone and do so, what we have seen over the years is that they adopt a very narrow value for month approach, which has no spin-off effects for the local economy, and which diminishes the opportunity for technology development and the development of our own SMEs that could scale and become more integrated with global markets.

“Even worse, large projects have set up systems which discriminate and exclude local firms by imposing their own specification requirements. Large mining and resource projects are the main thing where this goes on. Then of course you have the public procurement side of things, with its false economy of value for money often leading to the adoption of designs and engineering projects

that don’t deliver the goods for the local economy.”

Professor Green said ICN had been remarkably successful over 40 years.

“We estimate it has added over $50 billion in value to SMEs which have taken part in the program and it is on an increasing trajectory. It has been successful in ensuring that a lot of projects that would have otherwise gone to companies outside this country have gone to local companies, with massive spin-offs to companies and regions,” he said.

“But it could have been more successful if it had the resources and the mandatory regulatory structure to ensure that all applicable public and private projects were subject to a process of engaging ICN. “We have missed a lot of opportunities.

It is the longest-lasting industrial policy in the country, but it has operated below the radar, and it has suffered from inconsistencies in funding – it has never really had significant funding at the national level.

“It has however managed to develop its Gateway software program, which is a database of 100,000 suppliers. It has used this to link up companies with local projects. But it has done this on a shoestring.”

Professor Green said the threshold should be greatly lowered so that smaller projects were opened to SMEs. “Public and private projects, all of them should be required to consult with ICN and set out the opportunities for engaging with ICN,” he said.

Professor Green said project proponents should be reporting back more openly about the progress they were making,

and at the end of the project the progress they had made in fulfilling their obligations.

“That is part of the compliance issue for companies. They can commit to opening up the projects to local suppliers but then they don’t proceed with that. There needs to be a feedback loop so ICN can monitor their progress. That is missing,” he said.

“Also there is a need for a funding mechanism that would help those large companies to work with ICN and the SMEs to fulfil those obligations. That was provided through an interesting programme that ran previously, the supplier access to major programmes, the SAMP programme. That lasted 17 years and provided national resources to enable the process (of working with SMEs) to work smoothly (and help) large companies open up their supply chains.

“It is quite resource intensive to get all the information out there, and while ICN has a pretty smart database, some extra resources from government would be of assistance.”

Professor Green said in the context of a Future Made in Australia strategy, “we should reassess ICN’s value and integrate it more closely with national industry policy”.

“In that way, it would play a key part in providing opportunities for SMEs to participate in large and not so large projects, and also builds the capability to do so.

“A lot of SMEs don’t know how to access these projects - so for ICN and other federal and state programmes to contribute to capability building for SMEs would also be a highly beneficial as an outcome of this reappraisal.”

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Page 22 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

Gippsland’ss Transition to a NEW ENERGY FUTURE

Green lightt for feasibility licences community consultation and apply for a commercial licence.

By STEFAN BRADLEY ALL 12 Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone projects originally announced by the federal government in May have been granted feasibility licences following consultations with First Nations groups and communities.

The government says these 12 projects were capable of generating 25 GW, more electricity than the entire state of Victoria generated last year.

The licence allows the company to assess the feasibility of the offshore infrastructure project that the licence holder proposes to carry out in the licence area under a potential future commercial licence. It allows the licence holder to construct, install, commission, operate, maintain and decommission the offshore wind project in the licence area, as long as the legislative requirements are met.

These projects are spread across a nearly 15,000 square kilometre site, stretching from Lakes Entrance to Wilsons Promontory.

From January 23 to April 27 last year, the federal government accepted feasibility licence applications for proposed projects within the declared area.

A total of 37 applications for licences were considered by the federal government, including Flotation Energy’s, Seadragon project. Flotation Energy is a Scottish company owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company offshore wind project, but the company was not granted a feasibility licence.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen in May had announced 12 projects for Gippsland offshore wind, with six receiving a licence.

Those behind the other six projects were asked by the government to consult with First Nations communities who may be impacted by the wind farm, with a licence for all expected to be granted later on.

The government has issued licences to Iberdrola Australia OW 2 (for its Aurora Green wind farm), Greater Gippsland 2 OWP Project (Gippsland Dawn), Navigator North Project, Ørsted Offshore Australia 1

All 12 Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone projects.

(Gippsland 02), Kent Offshore Wind, and Great Eastern Offshore Wind Farm Project Co.

North, Gippsland Skies, Blue Mackerel North, Kut-Wut Brataualung Project, Ørsted 1 and Star of the South.

In May, the following six projects were given feasibility licences: High Sea Wind Project

The feasibility licences last seven years.

From here, the holders can continue

This rejection of the licence comes despite the state government granting Seadragon ‘Major Project Status’ last year, predicting it had a capital expenditure of $6.5 billion and would create around 1600 construction jobs and 200 ongoing jobs over 35 years.

Grant backs women's opportunities

By TOM HAYES

and manufacturing careers is a win-win situation for local women and employers,” Minister Hutchins said.

THE state government has given a $100,000 grant to Gippsland Women’s Health (GWH) to support their work helping employers attract and retain women in traditionally male-dominated workforces, and to advance gender equality.

“This grant to Gippsland Women’s Health supports better economic outcomes for women in Gippsland and will help local organisations address skills shortages in some of the Victoria’s strongest growth sectors, while contributing to driving greater gender equality across the state.”

The Minister for Women, as well as Minister for Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Natalie Hutchins, joined GWH’s chief executive, Kate Graham, at the local Kilmany business Elecsome’s solar panel upcycling plant to announce the grant.

Minister Hutchins announced that the grant hopes to get more women into the clean energy sector and manufacturing.

Elecsome upcycles glass fines from damaged solar panels into sand, then ‘nano-engineered’ concrete, in a world-first called SolarCrete.

“We find that there are some pretty low numbers, and we need to lift that up,” she said.

“I hear from a lot of businesses like (Elecsome), about the need for more skilled workers, and quite frankly skilling up women to come into these roles is a big part of the answer.”

Elecsome saves cement mix manufacturers between 50 and 80 per cent on river sand, which is a precious material in the manufacturing process.

All of the materials that Elecsome use to upcycle are sourced from Victoria, saving damaged solar panels from polluting landfills in the state.

Minister Hutchins was given a tour of Elecsome’s Kilmany facility, and appeared to be impressed with the process they developed.

Ms Graham accompanied her, as did the Regional Development Victoria Regional Director, Sara Rhodes-Ward.

Barriers to women’s entry into and advancement in industries such as energy and manufacturing can include inflexible working arrangements, a lack of paid parental leave, gender discrimination, sexism and sexual harassment. This has led to their underrepresentation in these workforces.

Given Elecsome’s small number of

In response, Ms Graham appreciated the grant from the state government.

Minister for Women and Minister for Jobs, Natalie Hutchins talking to Regional Development Victoria’s Sara Rhodes-Ward and Gippsland Women’s Health Chief Executive, Kate Graham at the Kilmany solar panel upcycling plant. employers on site in Kilmany, when Minister Hutchins asked its chief executive Neeraj Das if he could see women working in this workforce, he replied: “Why not?”

With only a small team of seven or eight people on site in Kilmany, Elecsome hopes to increase the number of employers in Kilmany realistically to around 30 or 35, all while training and

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024

upskilling people in the process.

Gippsland Women’s Health, as part of the venture, will also deliver a mentoring program in collaboration with the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, Women in Industry and Women in Renewable Energy networks.

“Supporting more women in Gippsland to enter, stay and progress in energy

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to continue our work… about how we can bring women into the industry and retain them and advance them in the industry as well,” she said.

The work of GWH is just one of the initiatives to address barriers to women’s participation and advancement in male-dominated industries.

The grant to GWH is part of a second round of grants to develop strategies to boost women’s participation and equity in manufacturing and energy, which forms a key part of the state government’s response to the inquiry into economic equity for Victorian Women.

GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE — Page 23

• Gippsland Skies is a proposed 2.5 GW offshore wind project to be developed approximately 30km off the south coast of Gippsland.

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• When fully operational, the project could supply about 17% of Victoria’s current electricity demand and power up to 1.4 million homes.

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• Gippsland Skies could valueadd about $AU3.7 billion into the Australian economy and create around 2000 jobs in Gippsland over the life of the project.

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Harnessing the power of offshore wind together.

Gippsland Skies is being developed by a consortium of Australian and international companies bringing together a unique combination of renewable energy development experience and local knowledge.

The Gippsland Skies team looks forward to seeing you there!

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Learn more about Gippsland Skies Offshore Wind: www.gippslandskies.com.au

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Proud sponsors of the Gippsland New Energy Conference and Gippsland Women in New Energy Breakfast.

GP1673918

Page 24 — GIPPSLAND'S TRANSITION TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 4 September, 2024