Manufacturing the Energy Revolution summit to be held August 2-3 in Canberra

Weld Australia and the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work will host Manufacturing the Energy Revolution: Industrial Opportunities from Renewable Energy on August 2 and 3, an event focussing on the challenges and opportunities presented by decarbonising the nation’s energy supply.

The legislated emissions reductions targets of 43 per cent (on 2005 levels) by 2030 and net zero by 2050 will require new infrastructure predicted to represent a tripling of existing renewable energy generation from 64 gigawatts to more than 218 gigawatts by 2050: 90 gigawatts of wind, 39 gigawatts of solar, 18.7 gigawatts of water, and 35.9 gigawatts of battery storage.

Among projects required will be construction of 10,000 kilometres of new transmission lines and 25,000 transmission towers (at 30 to 60 tonnes of steel per tower) and 11,000 wind towers, each requiring 500 tonnes of plate steel (for onshore wind towers.)

Weld Australia has said elsewhere that Australia faces a shortfall of 70,000 welders by 2030, and that it will be “nearly impossible for industry to deliver the necessary manufacturing capability” without funding and support from governments.

“The renewable energy industry will require huge volumes of fabrication in the coming years,” said Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden.

“While this represents enormous opportunities for Australia’s welding, fabrication and manufacturing industries, there are also enormous challenges ahead.”

According to Weld Australia, the two-day summit will unite “industry leaders from both the manufacturing and energy sectors… to leverage the opportunities presented by the renewable energy revolution and translate these into action.”

Picture: Weld Australia

Further reading

Renewable energy plans “will simply not be a reality” without industry and skills support: Weld Australia

“Extraordinary” action needed for Australia to avoid severe skills shortfall: Weld Australia