The 2025 State of Energy Research Conference (SoERC) was held from July 14 to 16 at UNSW Sydney’s Kensington campus, bringing together leading researchers, policymakers, and industry experts to tackle Australia’s urgent energy challenges and map the path toward net-zero emissions.
The three-day event focused on critical topics including energy market reform, societal and institutional roles, and scaling up clean technologies such as smart grids, hydrogen, solar, and energy storage.
Climate Change Authority Chair Matt Kean was a keynote speaker, emphasising the need to overcome barriers to climate resilience and accelerate the clean energy transition.
Despite Australia’s legislated 2050 net-zero target, Kean and other experts highlighted gaps in technologies, policy frameworks, and public engagement that currently hamper progress at the required pace.
Dani Alexander, CEO of the UNSW Energy Institute and Chair of the Energy Research Institutes Council for Australia (ERICA), described the conference as a vital opportunity to share the latest research, foster collaboration across sectors, and align efforts for tangible impact.
She underlined UNSW’s commitment to hosting a conversation that accelerates solutions at the scale and speed demanded by the climate crisis.
The conference also addressed pressing issues such as rising energy bills, home battery integration, and enhancing climate resilience in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
Overall, SoERC 2025 showcased Australia’s energy research strengths while underlining the urgent need for coordinated national action to deliver a faster, fairer, and more secure energy transition.
