The Geelong community wants to learn more about its energy future if its response to a forthcoming forum is any indication. Next week’s Geelong Energy Futures Forum, which will be addressed by a panel of experts, is booked out.
Opening the Forum will be The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Solar Homes who will speak on how Victoria is moving towards clean energy.
Independent energy consultant Ian Dunlop says “if we don’t act quickly we will miss opportunities for business and manufacturing and risk trade sanctions from other countries.
“The technology and batteries we need to transition to fully renewable energy are here. We just need to restructure our energy industry and the systems to make the technology more available,” Mr Dunlop says.
Among other panellists Colin Long from the Victorian Trades Hall Council will address the critical question of job opportunities as renewable energy sources become more widespread. Mr Long will explore not only job transition, such as that taking place at the Altona refinery, but the clean jobs that will be ushered in by the economic diversification resulting from the use of renewable energy.
As a pointer to what the jobs future might be like in Geelong, Ms Imogen Jubb of Beyond Zero Emissions will present case studies of how regions such as the Hunter Valley in NSW and Gladstone in Queensland are transitioning to using renewable energy sources to power new and established industries.
Melbourne University’s Simon Holmes a Court will outline how Australia’s energy transition is going while Dan Cowdell from Community Energy provider Mondo will show how the clean energy transition in Geelong is already underway.
The Geelong Energy Futures Forum is organised by Geelong Sustainability. It will be held at West Geelong Town Hall, Pakington St West Geelong on Wednesday 21 April from 6.30pm until 9.00pm.
About Geelong Sustainability
Geelong Sustainability is a dynamic and passionate community group focused on sharing information, building community resilience, advocating for the environment and supporting effective action for a low carbon future. For more information visit www.geelongsustainability.org.au