The event was presented by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in partnership with Greater Shepparton City Council. Delegates heard from new energy experts including a key note address from the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change and distinguished economist and Chairman of ZEN Energy, Ross Garnaut AC. The event was facilitated by Simon Corbell, the independent Victorian Renewable Energy Advocate.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Dinny Adem said “Greater Shepparton City Council is proud to have been selected as the host partner of this important event. As Victoria’s food bowl, Greater Shepparton is home to a number of successful agricultural businesses and initiatives already harnessing the power of alternate energy.”
“The Round Table was the perfect opportunity for individuals and businesses to learn first-hand from the experiences of those already using new energy technology within their operations and provided information on how others can benefit from renewable energy sources.”
The aim of the Roundtable was to bring together renewable energy project proponents, technology providers, financiers and investors, local industry, supply chain partners, community groups and other relevant stakeholders to identify projects, and promote new energy opportunities.
Presentations will be made by a number of local businesses who have either successfully completed renewable energy projects to realise significant cost savings, or are developing new renewable energy projects and seeking project partners such as investors, customers, and supply chain partners.
According to Simon Corbell, formerly Environment Minister with the ACT government, “The event will catalyse greater investment opportunities for renewable energy projects across Greater Shepparton and Northern Victoria. These investments deliver value to local communities by reducing business operating costs, creating job opportunities and promoting a cleaner energy future.”
The invitation only event was held at McIntosh Centre at the Shepparton Showgrounds events precinct.
Background:
Ross Garnaut is a distinguished economist whose career has been built around the analysis of and practice of policy connected to development, economic policy and international relations in Australia, Asia and the Pacific. Ross is a Distinguished Life Member of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society. He was Chairman of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research from 1994 to 2000 and also held the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute (Washington DC) from 2006 to June 2010. In November 2010, Ross was commissioned by the Australian Government to provide an independent update to his 2008 Climate Change Review. Ross became Chairman of ZEN Energy Technologies Pty Ltd in 2015. He is Chairman of the Impact Investment Group Solar Income Fund (2016).
Simon Corbell is the Government’s Victorian Renewable Energy Advocate (VREA).
Mr Corbell was previously Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for the Environment and Climate Change of the ACT, where he drove the delivery of large scale solar and wind farms and oversaw the implementation of the ACT large scale feed in tariff and reverse auction process.
The independent VREA’s key responsibilities include:
- heading Victoria’s key advisory body on renewable energy development
- leading efforts to attract further investment in renewable energy
- assisting in the implementation of the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) scheme
- providing independent advice to the Government
Mr Corbell was a recipient of the Banksia Foundation’s Gold Award for the ACT Solar Auction program, and has been recognised by the Clean Energy Council and Australian Solar Council for his work in championing the clean energy transition nationally.
