ACBC QLD | Australia-China Decarbonisation Roundtable: Hydrogen in Energy Intensive Industries & Economic Diversification

17 Oct 2022

Event details

Date: Wednesday 23 November 2022

Time: 1:00pm – 4:15pm AEST

Location: Online – Zoom Platform

Cost: Attendance is free of charge, thanks to generous sponsorship from the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations

ACBC QLD and ANU are pleased to present this thought-provoking roundtable that will explore existing and future collaboration between Australia and China on decarbonisation. Attendees will hear from leading industry, government and academic experts whose discussion will focus on Hydrogen in Energy Intensive Industries & Economic Diversification.

This is the third in a series of roundtable events on Australia-China links on low-carbon technology transitions, sponsored by the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.

Australia and China’s low-carbon transitions are deeply linked through their energy systems and value chains. Low-carbon transitions open opportunities to establish new energy, resource and processing industries in Australia, on the basis of natural resource endowments and industrial capabilities. It is therefore critical for many Australian businesses, governments and other stakeholders to develop a deep understanding of China’s low-carbon transition.

Join our curated panel of experts to discuss existing and potential collaboration between Australia and China on Hydrogen in Energy Intensive Industries & Economic Diversification.

Please note that this event will be live-streamed, however no recording will be available afterwards.

This event will consist of two sessions:

Session 1: Hydrogen in Energy Intensive Industries

1:00pm – 2:10pm AEST

Prof Xiliang Zhang –Chief Scientist of Climate Governance and Carbon Finance of Carbon Neutral Institute, and Director of the Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy at Tsinghua University

Dr Fiona Beck – Senior Research Fellow, Australian National University’s School of Engineering

Prof Ian MacKinnon – Director, Centre for Clean Energy Technologies and Practices, Queensland University of Technology

Dr Yuan Peng – Research fellow, ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society

Mark Couchman (Session Moderator) –Director, Resources, Energy & Infrastructure – QLD ANZ

Session 2: Economic Diversification

2:45pm – 4:15pm AEST

Leanne Caelers – Executive Director of the Transmission and Transformation – Queensland Department of Energy and Public Works

Karen Hussey – Deputy Director-General, Environmental Policy and Programs, Queensland Department of Environment and Science

Louise Horrocks – Head of McR ESG, Partner at McCullough Robertson

Dr Amanda Cahill – CEO and Founder of The Next Economy

Howard Bamsey- Honorary Professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at ANU

Frank Jotzo (Session Moderator) -Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU

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Join the premier organisation dedicated to promoting Australia-China business and trade. With branches Australia-wide, we welcome you to join ACBC QLD for 2021/2022. You can join on the ACBC QLD website here.

For more information call (07) 3835 4765 or email acbc.qld@acbc.com.au.

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Event Speakers

Prof Xiliang Zhang

Chief Scientist of Climate Governance and Carbon Finance of Carbon Neutral Institute, and Director of the Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy at Tsinghua University

He has served on various committees including the Chinese National Panel on Climate Change and the China Energy Research Society. As a leading figure in China’s low-carbon energy transition and climate change policy and mechanism design, he has over 200 publications including in Nature Energy, Nature Climate Change, Management World etc. Xiliang was also the Lead Author of the 4th and 5th IPCC report. He has been the Head of the Expert Group on the Overall Design of China's Carbon Market since 2015, and the Deputy Head of the Expert Group on China's Carbon Neutral Technology Development Roadmap in 2021.

Prof Ian Mackinnon

Director, Centre for Clean Energy Technologies and Practices, Queensland University of Technology

Prof Mackinnon obtained his BSc (Hons) and PhD degrees at James Cook University in Australia and is the Founder and former Executive Director of the Institute for Future Environments at QUT. Ian was Executive Director at the Australian Research Council responsible for driving collaboration between universities and industry. He is a member of the Ministerial Energy Council and of the Hydrogen Task Force for the Queensland Government. He has held appointments at Arizona State University, NASA Johnson Space Centre, the University of New Mexico in the USA and the University of Queensland. Prof Mackinnon has served in advisory roles for five national and international centres in the environmental, minerals and energy sectors.

Dr Fiona J Beck

Senior Research Fellow, Australian National University’s School of Engineering

Dr Beck leads a research group focused on integrating nanophotonics and optoelectronic device design for applications in solar fuels and the next generation of photodetection technologies. She is also the convener of the Hydrogen Fuels Project in the ANU's Zero-carbon energy for the Asia-Pacific Grand Challenge. Her research interests include technology development for hydrogen and other renewable fuels, and the wider, transdisciplinary challenges of energy change.

Dr Yuan Peng

Research fellow, ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society

Her research interests are in urban sustainability/low-carbon transition, and urban climate and energy governance. She is leading several ongoing research projects on exploring the mechanisms to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption in EV capital cities such as Shanghai, and understanding the role of cities in incubating nascent hydrogen-energy industries for sustainability transition. Prior to her academic career, Dr Yuan Peng had professional work experience as a policy consultant on climate policies in the local government and as a Business Development (BD) on urban low-carbon infrastructure solutions in Cities Centre of Competence Asian, Siemens.

Mark Couchman ( Session Moderator)

Director, Resources, Energy & Infrastructure - ANZ QLD

Mark is a board member of Australia China Business Council (ACBC) – Queensland Branch and chairs ACBC Energy & Resources working group. He is a career banker, with experience over 20 years and spanning multiple geographies including Europe and Asia. Since joining ANZ's Natural Resources Group in December 2005, Mark has expanded ANZ's banking and finance capabilities and relationships to the resources & energy sectors in Queensland. More recently, he has been involved in the development of the bank’s New Energy strategy in Queensland, to which critical minerals & hydrogen will play a significant role.

Leanne Caelers

Executive Director of the Transmission and Transformation Branch in the Queensland Department of Energy and Public Works

Leanne has been a key leader in the development of the recently released Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan (the Plan), and is responsible for major energy policy initiatives like the Queensland ‘SuperGrid’ Infrastructure Blueprint, Queensland Renewable Energy Zones, and delivering on other key actions outlined in the Plan. Leanne has a background in public policy and has worked on major energy policy initiatives for Queensland and also contributed to Queensland’s engagement on national policy matters.

Karen Hussey

Deputy Director-General, Environmental Policy and Programs, Queensland Department of Environment and Science

Karen leads the development and coordination of policy, strategy and legislation relating to the environment, conservation and cultural heritage. She oversees the delivery of strategic programs such as protection of the Great Barrier Reef, waste management and resource recovery, and the Land Restoration Fund. She also leads policy and programs in areas such as heritage, climate change, environmental offsets, biodiversity, koala conservation and State of Environment reporting. Prior to joining government, Karen was Professor and Director of the Centre for Policy Futures at the University of Queensland.

Louise Horrocks

Head of McR ESG, Partner at McCullough Robertson

ouise provides legal and non-legal advisory services in the area of ESG strategy, decarbonisation, investment, corporate governance and sustainability initiatives. With 15 years of deep industry experience and knowledge, and recognised as an ESG and energy transition subject matter specialist, Louise provides clients with strategic advice and practical implementation support and solutions, helping them to comprehensively shape their response to and create value out of evolving ESG pressures and opportunities.

Dr Amanda Cahill

Head of McR ESG, Partner at McCullough Robertson

Louise provides legal and non-legal advisory services in the area of ESG strategy, decarbonisation, investment, corporate governance and sustainability initiatives. With 15 years of deep industry experience and knowledge, and recognised as an ESG and energy transition subject matter specialist, Louise provides clients with strategic advice and practical implementation support and solutions, helping them to comprehensively shape their response to and create value out of evolving ESG pressures and opportunities.

Howard Bamsey

Honorary Professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at ANU

He is a board member of the Climate Policy Initiative and Climate Works Centre, and was previously Chair of the Global Water Partnership, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund and Director General of the Global Green Growth Institute. He has served as Senior Advisor on Sustainable Development for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Special Advisor on Green Growth to AusAID. He held several appointments at ambassadorial level in the Australian foreign service.

Frank Jotzo (Session Moderator)

rofessor, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU

rank Jotzo is professor of environmental economics at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy, and Head of Energy at the ANU Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions. His research and project leadership spans policy instruments for emissions reductions, economics of decarbonisation, opportunities in the transition to net zero emissions systems and international dimensions of climate change and energy policy.