Creating a long-term energy vision for Tasmania
A new research group at the University of Tasmania is working with the state’s power companies, government and private enterprise to position Tasmania at the forefront of energy innovation.
Future Energy brings together expertise from across the University’s disciplines of business, economics, engineering, ICT, social science, geography, marine science, architecture, planning, and the humanities to produce high quality, policy-relevant research into future energy provision in Tasmania and beyond.
A Future Energy workshop this month, organised with the support of the Institute for the Study of Social Change, attended by Energy Minister Guy Barnett and key personnel from the Department of State Growth, TasNetworks, Aurora Energy and Hydro Tasmania was part of a series of ongoing collaborations designed to help create and implement a long-term energy vision for Tasmania.
Guy Barnett address the workshop
The aim is to position the energy sector as an economic driver creating benefits for all Tasmanians.
University of Tasmania Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Brigid Heywood said she was thrilled to see key players from Tasmania’s energy sector working together, adding that “Today’s energy research and policies will significantly impact our future generations.”
Working with stakeholders, Future Energy seeks to position Tasmania as an international test bed for innovative and collaborative solutions to the challenges our energy sector is facing, including climate change, ageing infrastructure, market design, and maintaining appropriate governance in a fast-changing technology-intensive environment.
Future Energy discussion group
The co-directors of Future Energy are Professor Heather Lovell, a social scientist with research interests in processes of policy and technology change; Associate Professor Evan Franklin, an engineer with research interests in solar photovoltaics, battery storage and other distributed energy resources; and Dr Clinton Levitt, who works in applied economics with interests in energy, natural resource and environmental economics.
“Energy is emerging as an issue that truly cuts across the traditional discipline boundaries. It’s really exciting to bring key stakeholders from industry and government together to work with Future Energy and start looking at some of the really big challenges that we’re going to face in the energy sector in Tasmania over the coming decades. It’s also a great opportunity for Tasmania to provide leadership, at a national level, on these critical energy issues,” the co-leaders said.
For more information see the Future Energy Prospectus PDF 1.5MB
Heather Lovell
Evan Franklin
Clinton Levitt