The sundowner was a great evening—an opportunity to bring together leaders from across the energy, resources, and infrastructure sectors to explore Western Australia’s role in the global energy transition.
Held in the heart of Western Australia, the event explored the state’s unique role in the global shift towards cleaner, more sustainable energy systems. Featuring thought-provoking contributions from Erik Vandenberg, General Manager – Growth and Energy Transition at Verbrec, and guest speaker Jasmin Diab, Partner/Managing Director at GNSP, the evening highlighted both the opportunities and challenges facing the region as it navigates the path to net zero.
WA’s Strategic Position in the Energy Landscape
In his address, Erik highlighted Western Australia’s distinctive position in the energy landscape, pointing to the state’s large number of remote generator–consumer sites as a driving force for innovation. These off-grid locations, he noted, are creating ideal conditions to trial and adopt lower carbon intensity energy solutions.
He also pointed to WA’s abundance of critical minerals, its operation of the world’s largest isolated grid, and the success of the state’s domestic gas reservation policy as key enablers of long-term energy security and decarbonisation.
Importantly, Erik noted that with strategic investment in carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), WA could eventually move beyond net zero to become net negative.
Pragmatism Over Ideology
A key theme of Erik’s address was the importance of pragmatism over ideology in the energy debate, emphasising that replacing thermal coal with gas in neighbouring countries could halve emissions and deliver real climate benefits.
Exploring Nuclear Potential
Guest speaker Jasmin Diab shared her perspective on the future role of nuclear energy in Western Australia, particularly in the context of remote and scalable power generation.
She noted that if policy settings were to shift, WA could capitalise on nuclear expertise emerging from the AUKUS program, along with existing regulatory capabilities, to safely deploy clean nuclear technologies where appropriate.
Q&A Spotlight: Hydrogen and CCUS
The evening wrapped up with an engaging Q&A session, where Erik addressed questions on the targeted use of hydrogen. He highlighted its potential in remote refuelling applications and its use as a renewable feedstock for fertiliser production; recognising that while hydrogen isn’t a silver bullet, it holds value in specific use cases.
The discussion also returned to CCUS, with Erik noting that several successful international projects are already in operation. He welcomed the recent release of WA’s CCUS guidelines as a positive signal of growing government support for the technology’s role in the decarbonisation journey.
A Shared Vision for the Future
The Energy Transition Sundowner highlighted the importance of collaboration, technical insight, and pragmatic leadership in advancing Australia’s energy transformation. With its abundant natural resources, innovative off-grid energy applications, and growing capabilities in low-emissions technologies, Western Australia is uniquely positioned to lead the way. As momentum builds, WA’s role in shaping a more sustainable energy future for the region is becoming increasingly significant.
