Margie Thomson
Chief Executive Officer
Cement Industry Federation
08:30
Welcome coffee
08:50
Opening remarks from the Chair
09:00
Ministerial address: Supporting and encouraging local industry and onshore manufacturing as they transition to low or no carbon emissions
Hon Tim Ayres
Assistant Minister for Trade; Assistant Minister for Manufacturing
Australian Senate
Sourcing reliable low carbon energy
09:15
Securing energy for the National Electricity Market’s largest connected load
- Contracting what could be Australia’s largest renewable energy power purchase agreement
- Tomago Aluminium’s approach to procuring electricity in a transitioning market
Andrew Newman
CFO and Company Secretary
Tomago Aluminium
09:45
Building a future flush with renewable gas
- Scaling up production to have a meaningful impact on carbon profiles for household and industrial users
- Spurring the development of a renewable gas sector through a Renewable Gas Target of 10%
- Evaluating biomethane and hydrogen – is there room for both?
Suzie Jakobovits
General Manager Renewable Gas
Jemena
10:15
How do you reduce emissions from the state's largest domestic cement manufacturing facility?
- Defining the technologies which can decarbonise cement making processes
- Analysing the practical realities of implementing net zero technology – what does ‘success’ look like?
- Securing reliable low-cost energy for energy intensive processes
- Reducing embodied carbon by replacing Portland cement with lower carbon cementitious alternatives such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS)
- Coming soon: Net Zero Carbon Offset Concrete?
Ali Nezhad
Head of Sustainability and Innovation
Boral
10:45
Morning tea
Policy to foster net zero and protect onshore manufacturing and industry
11:15
Addressing embodied carbon in imports and exports
- Establishing a level playing field on carbon for industrial products in Australian and global markets
- Assessing (and actioning) Australia’s options in the Carbon Leakage Review: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)? Financial support? Product standards? Treaties?
- How will the EU CBAM impact Australian exporters in 2026 (and UK in 2027, or the proposed USA Clean Competition Act (CCA)?
Tennant Reed
Director – Climate Change and Energy
Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)
11:45
Defining key issues for domestic industry around net-zero targets and policy
Anton Firth
Director, Research
RepuTex Energy
12:05
PANEL DISCUSSION: How will recent energy policy impact heavy industry and manufacturers?
- How will the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) and withdrawal of Renewable Energy Target change energy supply?
- What are the opportunities of ‘Future Made in Australia Act’ to empower growth on net zero manufacturing and industry?
- What policy would form the basis of an enduring framework that can adapt over time including the infrastructure and clean energy to power new growth?
- How will the Net Zero Economy Agency protect Australian industry and manufacturing as the costs of decarbonisation bite into profits and viability?
Moderator:
Emma Aisbett
Associate Professor, School of Law and Associate Director (Research) Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific Grand Challenge
Australian National University (ANU)
Panellists:
Tennant Reed
Director – Climate Change and Energy
Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)
Beth Mitchell
Head of Engagement
Beyond Zero Emissions
Tats Kato
Head of Project Origination (ESG, Decarbonisation & Energy Transition)
Sojitz Corporation
12:45
Lunch
Building credibility and recognition of meaningful carbon reductions
13:35
Meeting climate commitments without carbon offsets
Interface will focus its efforts on direct carbon reduction and carbon storage innovation projects to meet its ambitious environmental sustainability goals that include:
- Achieving 2030 targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to halve absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, to halve absolute Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services, and to reduce business travel and employee commuting emissions by 30%, all from a 2019 baseline year
- Reimagining product development and manufacturing to drive carbon reduction and storage
- Reducing the carbon footprint of products through manufacturing and raw material innovations and increasing product recycled and bio-based content
- Identifying and driving commercial adoption of circular models across all product categories
- Inspiring industry to join in, making a bigger impact through collective action focused on absolute carbon reduction
Aidan Mullan
Sustainability Manager
Interface Australia & New Zealand
14:05
PANEL DISCUSSION: How should industries and manufacturing address carbon standards and certifications to increase credibility and accountability?
- How do we avoid the ‘electrical equipment working out front (charged by a diesel generator around the back)’ scenarios?
- How can recognised definitions and standards be implemented so consumers and advocacy groups can be sure that claims are rigorous, verifiable and trustworthy?
- Who should be setting carbon emission frameworks – international bodies, Australian regulators, or industry associations?
Moderator:
Michael Kilgariff
Chief Executive Officer
Cement, Concrete and Aggregates Australia (CCAA)
Panellists:
Kulbir Dhanda
Director
SDI Plastics
Aidan Mullan
Sustainability Manager
Interface Australia & New Zealand
Andrew Newman
CFO and Company Secretary
Tomago Aluminium
Emma Aisbett
Associate Professor, School of Law and Associate Director (Research) Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific Grand Challenge
Australian National University (ANU)
Cyril Giraud
Head of Sustainability
Holcim Australia
Bringing the whole business and procurement chain on the net zero journey
14:45
Developing new decarbonisation technology across all aspects of a heavy industry business
- Addressing the magnitude of emissions from cement manufacture including alternate fuels, mineral addition optimisation and carbon capture leading to green methanol production
- How low carbon concrete mixes can be produced today which are fully compliant with Codes & Standards
- A Carbon Road Map - as seen by Cement Australia
Bruce Perry
National Technical Support Manager
Cement Australia
15:15
Afternoon tea
15:45
Prioritising the steps in a net zero strategy to bring the whole organisation on the journey
- Creating a culture of sharing information on ‘wins’ so they can be duplicated
- Ensuring solid governance around sustainability that is not linked to the specifics of individuals sites (eg renewable electricity is readily available in Australia, much harder to source in Japan)
- Committing to funding projects CAPEX projects that may have very long timelines to a justifiable ROI
Damon Tweedie
Head of Sustainability
EnergyAustralia
16:15
PANEL DISCUSSION: How do you get buy-in for whole of business transformation from internal and external stakeholders?
- What are effective tools and channels for educating internal and external stakeholders to ensure everyone understands the importance and feasibility of the transition (building carbon literacy)?
- How do you build trust and credibility with both internal and external stakeholders during a business transformation?
- What are the best ways to demonstrate tangible progress towards achieving net zero goals?
Moderator:
Eric Kimmel
Program Manager, New Low Carbon Industrial Foundations
NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW)
Panellists:
Justin Merrell
Group Sustainability Director
Lion Co
Amanda Robertson
Head of Sustainability (Oceania)
Nestlé Oceania
Stephanie McMahon
General Manager Strategy and Sustainability Strategic Partnerships
Stanwell Corporation
16:50
Closing remarks from the Chair
17:00
End of day two and close of Industrial Net Zero 2024