Welcome

Welcome to the 2023 State of Energy Research Conference (SoERC23). It is fitting that this year marks a return to an in-person gathering, given the conference theme of Working together for a sustainable energy future...

In this spirit of collaboration, SoERC brings together members of the research, industry, and government communities to share their latest findings, stories of success and challenges, advancements in tech, policy reform and innovative practices. The conference also provides an opportunity for energy’s diverse players to collectively address the pressing questions around energy’s future and to plan the way forward.

Building on SoERC21’s focus on energy’s impact on climate change, this year’s program takes an active approach, asking not only what needs to be urgently done, but how it can be achieved, and who needs to be involved.

The Australian energy system is poised at a crucial stage in its development. On the one hand, we have the legacy of dependence on centralised generation and supply, based on carbon intensive fuels. On the other hand, Australia has world-leading adoption of demandside response and renewable energy and an ecosystem of energy start-ups that represent a great foundation for our energy future. There is an opportunity, and indeed a responsibility, for Australia to step up and lead in this area of critical importance.

Government policy is aligning around the Step Change scenario in AEMO’s Integrated System Plan, which would see our energy system transformed over the next decade to one dominated by renewable energy. This means the clock is ticking not just for the engineers retooling the grid, policy-makers and developers – but also for researchers if we are to have a positive impact on the energy transition.

This conference has been designed to showcase leading-edge research across disciplinary boundaries, recognising the role of technology, economics, policy and consumer practices to achieve the vision of a clean energy future. It features the demand-side of the energy system as well as the supply-side, it features decentralised energy resources as well as centralised. The conference program acknowledges that for a sustainable energy transition we need to recognise the importance of a just and fair outcome for all members of the community, and in particular the rights and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The conference organisers are grateful to the Platinum Sponsor, the Cooperative Research Centre Reliable Affordable Clean Energy for 2030 (RACE for 2030), which is championing market transformation programs to deliver targets of reducing energy costs, cut carbon emissions and increase customer load flexibility to allow increased penetration of renewables in the grid and increased reliability.

We have been delighted that there was such a strong response to the call for abstracts, reflecting a rich and diverse set of topics and an indication of how much research is underway. We encourage delegates to network widely, enjoy the discussions with existing and new colleagues and take back even greater aspiration for creating positive change in Australia’s energy future.