Introducing our Australia conference, meet our first panel

AEA Australia 101

This year marks the fourth edition of our annual Australia conference. The AEA officially launched its Australian chapter in 2018 under the name NH3FA.Oz, and held its first major event in 2019 in Melbourne. We continue to use the original venue in the city’s southeast today, continuing a long-standing relationship with CSIRO (Australia’s federally-funded science & industry research body), and nearby Monash University.

The pandemic forced us online, but it didn’t slow us down. The 2020 virtual event showcased the enormous progress made in Australia in just twelve months. Our 2021 virtual event brought in yet more voices and new players, as we explored developments not just in Australia, but building momentum in Japan, Korea, the EU and Singapore. Our 2022 event takes another step, reflecting an ammonia transition that is accelerating before our very eyes.

But, as the pace quickens and enthusiasm reaches critical mass, what are the key considerations for building a long-term, sustainable, world-leading ammonia energy industry in Australia? What are the gaps, where are the opportunities, and who’s working hard behind the scenes to bring this all to life?

Immediate roadblocks

We start our conference with a challenging topic – and for good reason. As momentum grows, so do the stakes. The opportunity for hydrogen & ammonia in Australia is unparalleled, but establishing a world-leading industry requires many, many pieces to come together: safety regulations, infrastructure, domestic & international buyers, R&D, component manufacturers & suppliers, technology clusters…the list goes on. Some of these considerations are under-developed in Australia and require immediate attention.

To explore the challenges immediately ahead, we’ve brought together some familiar faces. Ammonia Energy readers will remember Paul Hodgson (Interim CEO, Scaling Green Hydrogen CRC) from previous editions of the Australia conference, and he brings a wealth of experience developing technology clusters to support the growing industry.

We’ve met our other two panelists this year on Ammonia Energy Live. Alana Barlow (National Hydrogen Commercialisation Manager, Sumitomo Australia) leads development of Sumitomo Australia’s hydrogen commercial business, and is busy bringing together all the pieces for a thriving Australia-Japan supply chain. Laurentiu Zamfirescu (Principal Safety and Risk Engineer, AMOG Consulting) brings decades of safety experience to the panel, and believes a stronger safety focus is required to ensure the industry’s longevity. Tune into proceedings at 9AM AEST, Wednesday 24 August to hear a great discussion.

Early-bird registration ends this Friday

Register by Friday, 29 July to secure your seat at the early-bird rate. Prices and more event details here, and don’t forget to reach out to Julian ([email protected]) if you need the discount code for AEA Members.