The conference includes a considerable focus on natural gas with a full-day stream covering gas network management. Sessions in this stream include; International Developments in Gas Distribution, Developing Modern Gas Distribution Standards for Australia, New Approaches to Gas Marketing & National Growth and Developing the Skills for a Vibrant Gas Industry. Some of the chairs facilitating these sessions include Don Plowman and Peter Harcus from Alinta and Peter Buck from SP AusNet.

Conference Chairman, Bob Smith, said media attention and political policy direction was now firmly focused on a greenhouse gas abatement solution through price signalling and market discipline of a carbon trading system. However, he said networks would need to embrace a range of strategies to satisfy new demands in the “shadow of the greenhouse giant.”

“The conference will explore how innovative new directions in network demand management, energy efficiency and customer incentives may be incorporated into a future in which carbon trading moves to centre stage,” Mr Smith said. Energy 21C organisers have dedicated an opening summit and a principal stream of the conference to the climate change challenge.

“The Prime Minister, John Howard, and the Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd, have also been invited to participate in the conference opening summit, along with responsible State and Territory Ministers.”

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Mr Smith said the summit would be followed with a plenary session addressing the topic of changing customer needs in the 21st century. “We are part of an industry in which technological and regulatory changes are both rapid and continuous,” he said.

“Environmental issues are adding momentum to this change factor and Energy 21C will bring key people in the industry together to address the current and emerging challenges and help define the future.”

Hosted by EnergyAustralia and Integral Energy, Energy 21C is the premier electricity and gas transmission and distribution conference in the Southern Hemisphere, and the Sydney conference is expected to attract over 2,000 national and international delegates.