Engineering terrain evaluations – Opportunities and challenges of the energy transition

As traditional energy (oil/gas) companies and other investors look to develop integrated export-scale green hydrogen hubs and onshore renewable power generation, the vast open spaces of Australia, are being explored to unlock the abundant and reliable renewable energy resources (wind/solar), supporting our energy transition.

The Clean Energy Council of Australia reported 1 tens of billions dollars of large-scale renewable energy projects are under construction across Australia, with almost 40% of Australia’s energy generation from renewable sources in 2023.

Renewables in Australia, both onshore and offshore, are shown to be reliable, affordable and sustainable. Australia is one of the windiest and sunniest countries on the planet and a large proportion of regional communities are reported to be supportive of developments with the right engagement, reaping the benefits of jobs, consistent income and local investment that comes with large scale projects. Combined with the prospect of pumped hydro power storage (PHES) and battery energy storage systems (BESS), discussions on requirements for “base load” and “firming” (by coal or gas fired power stations) are likely near obsolete.

The energy transition is a complex topic, and the physical constraints of our environment will have a significant impact.