Heather Smith Churchill Fellow
Expertise
I am an electrical engineer, policy and strategy adviser with a strong technical background in energy and climate change. I spent 10 years as a consulting engineer specialising in energy advice and the design of alternative energy systems before moving to State Government to develop public policy. I provide a high level of technical knowledge and integrated thinking with strong skills in influencing and connecting agendas. I also have proven stakeholder engagement skills and have successfully involved a diversity of sectors with competing priorities in statewide strategy development. I have a keen interest in harnessing the power of markets and communities to deliver sustainable futures. I am a graduate of the Company Directors Course, AICD. (you can download a copy of my CV here)
I was incredibly honoured to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship on the topic of governance and community energy. From May to July 2016 I traveled to USA, Germany, Denmark, UK and Japan to investigate the changes in electricity markets that are being stimulated by community led energy initiatives. My full report and summary is available on the Churchill website and as a download. My Blog offers a range of summaries for different audiences, snapshots of the experience and resources from each place I visited.
I've recently partnered with Tandem Energy and Enova Community Energy in a tender to 6 Councils south of Adelaide. We think we have a model that any region in South Australia could roll out - to deliver local economic benefits and better local energy supplies at the same time. We've put our ideas in the public domain so that we can partner with anyone in the energy sector and in the regions that has something to contribute. Feel free to share your expertise via this link.
Follow my progress
In 2018 I am hoping to support the conversation about community energy in South Australia by sharing progress and relevant events - hopefully monthly. If you are interested in the shape of our energy future, please subscribe - click here
Services
Changing Weather is currently offering energy services in partnership with Tandem Energy (see the brochure)
· Low carbon technology and policy
· Monitoring and Verification
(Heather Smith is one of the few Certified Monitoring & Verification Professionals in SA - ID3248)
· Cogeneration and energy systems design
· Energy flow analysis and electricity demand management
· Renewable energy assessment
· Technical communication – written and presentations
· Government liaison, policy and legislation
· Influencing and strategy development
· Project management
Community Energy
I sit on the boards of both CORENA, (Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia) and C4CE (the Coalition for Community Energy). In February 2017, 95 groups around Australia were part of the national Congress. Let's bring some of the learning into South Australian communities.
· Community Energy Roadshow, we bring inspiration and advice to your community
· Pro Bono Community Energy advice
click here to book a short advice session and get your community energy project started.
Recent Projects
> Supporting 10 South Australians to attend the Community Energy Congress in Melbourne
> 2015 Churchill Fellow, traveling in May 2016 to study governance of community energy
> Renewables for All leadership for the Conservation Council of SA
> Monitoring regulatory environment for solar finance and business models.
> Data analysis of SA energy use in preparation for Emission Reduction Fund.
> Project on expanding markets for SA architectural sector with Sustain SA
my word cloud
I asked for feedback before I left my last job. Here's what people said:
