09:30 – 10:15 Opening & Keynote
Location: 405-460. Auckland University Faculty of Engineering, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Speaker: Alison Andrew
10:15 – 12:00 Panel: Global Perspective on Utility of the Future
Location: 405-460. Auckland University Faculty of Engineering, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Theme Emerging Utility: Grid Planning, Control, Automation and Security Architectures
Overview of Panel: The electric utility industry is being transformed and reshaped with renewable, clean, and more resilient energy solutions. Robust decarbonization goals are being set along with more pressure to increase reliability and become more resilient. This is coupled with the challenges of an aging infrastructure and changing workforce. Power utilities are at the center of this challenge; tasked with integrating record levels of new, renewable, energy assets while accommodating dramatically increased multidirectional power flows, and hardening the grid to prepare for increasingly severe weather events exacerbated by climate change.
Chair: Kate Murphy
Speaker 1: Nikki Newham
Speaker 2: Alex Apostolov
Speaker 3: Charles Hanley
Speaker 4: Richard Fioravanti
13:00 – 14:30 Panel: Future Grid Digitization & Optimisation
Location: 405-460. Auckland University Faculty of Engineering, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Theme Digitalisation – Smart Grid, Smart Village & Smart Cities
Overview of Panel: The world’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, with majority living in urbanised communities. The energy industry is going through a digital transformation to meet the rising demands of these communities expecting intelligent, sustainable environments with a high quality of life at an affordable rate. To evolve and realise these needs, industry needs to embrace the digital world of Big Data, IOT, Cloud Computing, Blockchain, Machine Learning, AI and Cyber Security.
Chair: Thomas Patrick
Speaker 1: Patrick Cheffins
Speaker 2: Thahirah Jalal
Speaker 3: Abhinav Chopra
14:45 – 16:30 Panel: Future Workforce
Location: 405-460. Auckland University Faculty of Engineering, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Theme Workforce Development: Diversity & Inclusion, Indigenous Knowledge
Overview of Panel: The war on Talent is at an all time high following the COVID 19 Pandemic which has led many people to adjust their priorities and reconsider what they want from their lives and their work. Employers with low levels of ethnic, racial & gender diversity stand to lose out against their more diverse competitors and demographically speaking, the energy workforce often does not represent the communities & markets it serves. This is concerning given that it is crucial for policymakers, that there is a qualified, diverse, and innovative workforce at play to have the best chance of meeting energy, climate, and economic goals.
Co-Chair: Camille Virtusio
Co-Chair: Lakshita Lakshita
Speaker 1: Michael Whaley
Speaker 2: Matt Iorangi
Speaker 3: Johan H Enslin
16:45 – 18:15 Panel: Industry Experiences shared by Women in Engineering & Young Professional Engineers
Location: 405-460. Auckland University Faculty of Engineering, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Theme Workforce Development: Diversity & Inclusion, Indigenous Knowledge
Overview: A discussion about the challenges and opportunities of the engineering world given from the diverse perspectives and experiences of Engineers.
Chair: Rizki Rahayani
Speaker 1: Emma Lloyd
Speaker 2: Chantelle Tomon
Speaker 3: Amrita Sharma