National Manufacturing Summit to put spotlight on renewable energy potential

The National Manufacturing Summit, hosted by Weld Australia in partnership with the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, is slated to take advantage of the opportunities for renewable energy from 2 to 3 August at the Old Parliament House.

The two-day event, with the theme “Manufacturing the Energy Revolution: Industrial Opportunities from Renewable Energy,” intends to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the revolution in renewable energy by bringing together business executives from the industrial and energy sectors.

In order to support sustainable growth and technological advancements in these interconnected industries, the summit aims to foster collaboration, stimulate innovation, and facilitate knowledge exchange. 

International specialists and government leaders will also examine the difficulties and possibilities presented by the revolution in renewable energy.

According to Weld Australia, the government has set objectives for emissions reductions of 43 per cent (on 2005 levels) by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

Importantly, achieving these goals will demand the vast construction of new infrastructure, according to the organisation. To date, Australia produces 64GW of renewable energy, and by 2050, that number is expected to reach over 218GW. 

This will consist of 35.9GW of battery storage, 18.7GW of water, 39GW of solar, and 90GW of wind power.

Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden said the renewable energy sector in Australia will require a variety of additional resources to complete these ambitious projects, including manufacturing and fabrication capacity, raw materials (particularly steel), and contracting and contractor resources.

“All this the renewable energy infrastructure will require a veritable army of skilled workers, including welders,” he noted.

Crittenden added, “The renewable energy industry will require huge volumes of fabrication in the coming years. While this represents enormous opportunities for Australia’s welding, fabrication and manufacturing industries, there are also enormous challenges ahead.”

He emphasised that the federal government and state governments may envision their renewable energy policies into life, but he said it will not be possible without a significant investment in local manufacturing.

For further information about the event, you may visit https://manufacturingsummit.com.au.