PORT Stephens Council hosted a business networking and educational event on Friday which explored the opportunities available to business in the region.

The event featured a lively panel discussion which shone a light on several innovative opportunities in the manufacturing and renewable energy sectors.

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The themes of the panel discussions were:
● The energy transition means opportunity for established industry and new startups in Port Stephens
● Businesses must think strategically about where to play, be prepared to fail and ready to pivot
● Job opportunities will be emerge for people with a range of skill levels and expertise
● NSW Government is committed to creating certainty for investment, to building strong foundations for the future of industry
● Port Stephens offers a collaborative business environment, access to facilities such as CSIRO and University of Newcastle, and important infrastructure

The panellists were Arden Jarrett, Business Development Officer of MGA Thermal, Mark Chilcote, Managing Director of Energy Renaissance, Rod Henderson, Managing Director of Ampcontrol, and Rob Thomson, Head of Emissions Reduction Programs, NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

Tomago based Ampcontrol have delivered end to end solutions for energy, infrastructure and resources industries for over 50 years.

Ampcontrol have become specialists in specific markets: standalone power supply for the off grid market and underground vehicles for the mining industry.

Founded in Tomago, Energy Renaissance was founded in 2015 to design, build and sell lithium-ion batteries that are safe, affordable, optimised for hot climates and deliver a positive environmental and social impact.

Seven years on, Energy Renaissance batteries are 92 percent Australian made.

MGA Thermal emerged from a team of researchers and their professor at the University of Newcastle.

The company is a recent recipient of $1.27 million from the Federal Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to fund a MGA Thermal Energy Storage pilot.

The funding will help fund the creation and installation of a 5 MegaWatt hour (MWh) storage prototype to demonstrate the generation of steam from stored thermal energy.

The pilot will be led out of the Head Office and Manufacturing site in Tomago.

Sam Mella, Hunter Engagement Lead at Beyond Zero Emissions moderated the panel discussion.

Rob Thomson, Head of Emissions Intensity Reduction Programs at the NSW Department of Planning and Environment explained that there is over a billion dollars of State Government money to invest in high emitting industries and new low carbon industries in the Hunter and across NSW.

“Over the next five to ten years, we are going to require over $100 billion to bring about electrification and the infrastructure sitting behind that.

“It’s a new paradigm we’re working in.”

Port Stephens Councillor Leah Anderson told News Of The Area, “Council held a very informative business leaders lunch.

“The topic of the renewable energy industry was very relevant and interesting.

“It was wonderful to see so many business leaders back together again and being able to network.

“I congratulate Council on holding this successful business leaders lunch,” she said.

By Marian SAMPSON