We are the Australian Energy Council
We are the peak industry body for electricity and downstream natural gas businesses operating in the competitive wholesale and retail energy markets. These businesses collectively generate the overwhelming majority of electricity in Australia, sell gas and electricity to over 10 million homes and businesses, and are major investors in renewable energy generation.
The Council began operating from 1 January 2016. With Australia’s energy industry undergoing a period of rapid, transformative change member companies of the Energy Supply Association of Australia (esaa), Energy Networks Australia (ENA) and the Energy Retailers Association of Australia (ERAA) decided to reorganise and rationalise their representative associations in 2015.
From 1 January 2016, the merchant, non-network energy businesses commenced the Australian Energy Council and the ERAA merged into this new organisation. Matthew Warren was appointed as its inaugural Chief Executive.
In September 2024, Louisa Kinnear assumed the role of Chief Executive of the Australian Energy Council.
The ENA continues to serve its network members and absorbed the responsibility for Grid Australia activities on behalf of the electricity transmission sector.
Benefits of Membership
Australian Energy Council members have access to a range of industry benefits and services.
Experience and Networks
Our secretariat is a team of expert energy analysts, economists and public policy advocates with extensive experience in the energy industry. The Council has well-established relationships with government, opposition and allied stakeholders across all jurisdictions. The Council uses this expertise to support its members, and assist in managing the key issues impacting member businesses and the energy sector.
Your Voice In The Industry
Utilising our extensive networks across media, industry and government, we are proactive in public debates and use this platform to promote key strategies, inform consumers, defend the industry against unwarranted or incorrect criticism and advocate for the industry generally.
Associate Members
- ACIL Allen Consulting
- Allens
- Ashurst
- Aurecon
- Bluecurrent (Australia) Pty Ltd
- Department for Energy and Mining
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Department of Energy and Public Works
- Department of Parliamentary Services
- GB Energy
- General Electric
- GHD
- Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
- Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART)
- Kleenheat
- KPMG
- Lochard Energy
- Maddocks
- Marubeni Corporation
- Oakley Greenwood Pty Ltd
- PwC
- QIC Private Capital Pty Ltd
- Rio Tinto Iron Ore
- Rothschild & Co
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Chair
Damien NicksChief Executive Officer, AGL Energy -
Deputy Chair
James HarmanChief Executive Officer, EDL
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Louisa KinnearChief Executive OfficerLouisa Kinnear assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Energy Council in September 2024.
Prior to this, Louisa was the Chief Executive Officer at Jacana Energy, the largest energy retailer in the Northern Territory. She has also held senior roles at Synergy, Western Power and Water Corporation and previously worked for the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in Western Australia.
For the past 15 years, Louisa has helped governments, businesses, and customers across various jurisdictions navigate and benefit from the renewable energy transition. She is a strong advocate for fostering collaboration across the energy sector to ensure a successful transition.
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Ben BarnesGeneral Manager Corporate AffairsBen Barnes is the General Manager Corporate Affairs, a role he has held since August 2022. He joined the AEC in July 2018 as Director Retail Policy and was promoted to the role of General Manager, Retail Policy in April 2020.
Prior to joining the Council, Ben was a Regulatory Manager at Red Energy for seven years, responsible for consumer protections and distributed energy regulation.
He has more than 13 years of experience within the energy sector, with extensive knowledge of retail energy markets, regulatory frameworks, communications and stakeholder engagement.
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David FeeneyGeneral Manager Wholesale and EnvironmentDavid joined the AEC as the General Manager, Wholesale and Environment in August 2023. David was most recently the General Manager, Policy at Transgrid, leading a small team of policy experts focussed on transmission policy both nationally and in NSW.
Prior to this, David was at the Australian Energy Market Commission as an Executive General Manager, initially focussing on Retail and Wholesale Markets, and later leading the networks team. David led policy teams responsible for rule changes and reviews, with extensive stakeholder engagement key to the AEMC processes.
He has more than 25 years’ experience across the telecommunications, energy and government sectors. David’s previous roles include both regulatory and commercial roles with Telstra and managing industry engagement and commercial management for NBN Co. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Sydney.
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Jo De SilvaGeneral Manager Retail PolicyJo De Silva is the General Manager Retail Policy at the Australian Energy Council. Jo was most recently a senior leader at the Australian Energy Market Operator (ISP Consumer Panel) and Energy & Water Ombudsman SA, experienced in representing the long-term interests of different cohorts of energy consumers in regulatory and technical processes. Jo has served as a member of the Energy Security Board Stakeholder Steering Group and the National Customer Code Council for Comparators and Moving Services.
Jo was a member of the Australian Energy Regulator Consumer Reference Group, all four Energy Security Board National Energy Guarantee Technical Working Groups and the Australian Energy Market Commission System Security Technical Working Group. Heading up energy policy at the South Australian Council of Social Service for around a decade, Jo convened the National Consumer Roundtable on Energy and was an inaugural member of the AER’s Consumer Challenge Panel. Jo is a former Judge of the South Australian Premier’s Mining and Energy Awards.
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