New.E Knowledge Exchange - September | Exploring the Future of Energy Systems

This interactive breakfast forum will feature expert presentations, practical insights and audience Q&A, bringing together industry, research and government to share knowledge and strengthen regional collaboration.

Whether you work in energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, research or the broader supply chain, this forum provides an opportunity to hear the latest industry developments, connect with peers and explore future collaboration opportunities.
 

Forum Program

CSIRO - Hear from CSIRO researchers on the new digital platform being developed to support the National Energy Analysis Centre Living Lab, providing new opportunities for collaboration, data sharing and energy system analysis.

CSIRO’s National Energy Analysis Centre – digital research infrastructure for Australia’s energy transition.

In 2025, CSIRO launched the National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) as enduring digital research infrastructure to support Australia's energy transition. NEAC integrates both human and technical dimensions through a distributed living lab and a physics-based system modelling framework. This presentation will introduce the components of NEAC and demonstrate their application to industrial decarbonisation and regional transition challenges using ongoing work in the HILT CRC “Unlocking Investment in Energy Infrastructure for Net Zero Industrial Hubs” project as a specific example.

Bright Dimension
Oliver Hartley will present the key findings from the Australian Silicon (AusSi) Pre-Feasibility Study Knowledge Sharing Report, highlighting what the outcomes mean for Australian manufacturing and the Hunter's future role in the silicon supply chain.

Net Zero Economy Authority (NZEA)
Receive an update on key initiatives supporting Australia's energy transition, including insights from the transmission infrastructure supply chain showcase delivered with ICN, along with broader industry developments relevant to Hunter businesses.

Each presentation will include opportunities for audience questions and discussion.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Time: 7.30am arrival for an 8.00am start. Concludes at 10.00am.
Venue: CSIRO Mayfield West, 10 Murray Dwyer Cct, Mayfield West NSW 2304​
Cost: $15 per person (includes light morning tea)

Please note: Tea and coffee facilities are not available at the CSIRO venue. Attendees wishing to purchase coffee before the event can do so from Tallowood Espresso, located nearby.

Speakers:

CSIRO - Dr Stephen Craig is the Director of the National Energy Analysis Centre at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Stephen has more than 25 years of experience in applied research, strategy development and commercial innovation in systems engineering, digital technologies, and communications. Prior to joining CSIRO, Stephen led the national centre of excellence for Digital Engineering at Boeing Defence Australia, and he was Head of Strategy and Business Development at a spatial data analytics start-up. Stephen received his PhD in climate system modelling from Stockholm University. He spent many years in Sweden in leadership roles in mobile communication systems research, development and optimisation before returning to Australia in 2015.​
 

CSIRO - Dr Adnan Qamar is a systems engineer specialising in energy systems modelling, working at the intersection of engineering, data, and policy. He has extensive experience in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), system-of-systems modelling, and digital twins, applying these methods to integrate industrial processes, energy networks, and emerging low-carbon technologies into coherent analytical frameworks. His work enables complex interactions and trade-offs to be explored across multiple scales, from individual assets to regional energy systems. At NEAC CSIRO, he develops advanced modelling and data platforms that support industrial decarbonisation, informed decision-making, and long-term energy transition planning across multiple regions.

​CSIRO - Dr Tara Hosseini is a Senior Research Scientist and Research Team Leader in CSIRO’s Energy Research Unit. Tara leads projects focused on designing and developing cross-cutting energy solutions to support the decarbonisation of industry and transport. Her expertise spans process design and development, optimisation, techno-economic assessment (TEA), and life cycle assessment (LCA). Tara has worked extensively across renewable energy systems, including hydrogen supply chains, hydrogen carriers, e-fuels, and biofuels. Tara currently leads the HILT CRC’s flagship project on Energy Infrastructure, focused on developing plausible decarbonisation scenarios for heavy industries in regional areas. The project involves modelling and optimising regional energy demand and supply to identify the energy infrastructure required to support industrial decarbonisation. Before joining CSIRO, Tara was a research fellow and lecturer at the University of Adelaide from 2019 to 2022 and a postdoctoral research fellow at Monash University from 2016 to 2019.​​
 

Bright Dimension - Dr Oliver Hartley

Oliver has over 25 years’ experience in the renewable energy industry and is the managing director of Bright Dimension, a consultancy company supporting the transition to the clean energy future. In 2021, his company Epho Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest commercial and industrial solar company, was acquired by AGL. Prior to Epho, Oliver worked in management roles across solar cell research and manufacturing, as well as M&A in the solar industry. Recently Oliver was the lead author of the Silicon to Solar Study and is currently managing the feasibility study for a polycrystalline silicon plant at the Hunter Energy Hub.

NZEA - Chris Gibson
Chris has years of experience in the public service, including overseas postings within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and working from Williamtown for the Department of Defence. He’s passionate about renewable energy technology and innovation, being an early adopter of home solar and batteries, and driving an EV, so he jumped at the opportunity to work at ARENA. Since joining NZEA, Chris is primarily focused on Commonwealth support for and engagement with the Hunter region, seeking out opportunities for economic growth and prosperity that will help ensure the region continues to thrive well into the future.