by Australian Energy Council
Conference 2026: Energy2050 - Mapping the Way Forward
The Australian Energy Council is proud to host our inaugural Conference 2026 - the flagship national event bringing together senior leaders from across Australia’s energy landscape.
Under this year’s theme, Energy2050: Mapping the Way Forward, we’ll explore the opportunities, challenges and innovations shaping Australia’s energy transition over the next quarter century.
As the sector navigates one of the most complex transitions in its history, Energy2050: Mapping the Way Forward will explore what comes next, and what it will take to get there.
Hear directly from senior leaders across the energy sector, including keynote presentations from Dennis Barnes (Snowy Hydro), and Frank Calabria (Origin Energy), alongside an expert lineup.
This lineup features: Tim Nelson (Griffith University), Erin van Maanen (Hydro Tasmania), international perspectives from Ned Hammond (Energy UK), Josef Tadich (Tesla Energy), Jessica Morris (SA Power Networks), and many more.
Across the program, we’ll tackle the big issues defining the path ahead: system reliability and resilience, customer outcomes, investment signals and market design, affordability, and long-term sector transformation.
More details on the conference program and full speaker lineup can be found here.
Connect with the people leading the transition
Following the conference, join us for a dedicated networking event, your opportunity to connect directly with industry leaders, policymakers and innovators driving change across the sector.
- AEC Members: $649 (incl. GST)
- Non-Members: $799 (incl. GST)
Group discounts are also available.
Your full conference registration includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, access to networking opportunities throughout the day, and entry to the two-hour post-conference social function with canapés and refreshments.
Secure your place today and be part of the conversation shaping Australia’s energy future.
Sponsorship
AEC events consistently attract a high‑calibre audience, including CEOs, Executive General Managers, Directors, Partners, senior policy advisors and other leaders shaping strategy, regulation, investment and delivery across the energy sector.
Participating as a sponsor places your organisation directly in front of decision‑makers driving Australia’s energy transition.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. If you would like to learn more, please visit our website to view our sponsorship prospectus. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss a potential Conference sponsorship, please email our Events team who will be delighted to assist.
When
8am - 5pm AEST, Thursday 4 June 2026, with refreshments to follow.
Where
Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney
Registration.
Please register via Humanitix to secure your spot.
Related Analysis
Wild Cards: Could these technologies advance the energy transition?
In December 2022, scientists at the National Ignition Facility achieved a landmark nuclear fusion result: a reaction that produced more energy than the laser pulse used to start it. It made headlines globally, but the caveats came quickly. Overall system energy use was still far higher, and commercial viability remains decades away. It was a real breakthrough, but also a reminder of how far the engineering still has to go. That gap between scientific progress and commercial reality is a defining feature of the energy transition today. While solar, wind, and batteries are scaling rapidly and doing most of the heavy lifting, the International Energy Agency estimates that nearly half of the emissions reductions needed for net zero will depend on technologies still at demonstration stage or earlier. This raises the key question: which “wild card” technologies could help close that gap?We take a look.
Energy2050: Building the ‘Light on the Hill’ for Australia’s Net-Zero Future
Today, we are pleased to publish an important report for the Australian Energy Council and the energy industry. Energy2050 is intended to be a vision statement, providing a practical illustration of what it will take to deliver a net zero energy system while balancing affordability, reliability and sustainability. Read more.
Australia’s Home Battery Surge: A Question of Equity
Australia is a global leader in rooftop solar, with more than 4.3 million households and small businesses installing photovoltaic (PV) systems as of February 2026. Battery uptake has also accelerated, particularly since the introduction of the Cheaper Home Batteries Program in July 2025, which offers around a 30 per cent upfront discount for systems between 5 kWh and 100 kWh. More than 236,000 batteries had been installed by February 2026, although this likely understates the true figure due to reporting lags; the Federal Government has since indicated installations have surpassed 250,000 as of March 2026. Despite this rapid growth, an important question remains: who is actually benefiting from these subsidies?
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