The University of Melbourne is partnering with Powershop Australia to bring together a community of hackers, hustlers and hipsters — determined to harness the consumer and technology revolution in energy.
Over two dynamic days, teams will discover and engineer opportunities in the brave new world of connected energy at Energy Hack.
The way energy is produced, stored and used is undergoing rapid change. The exponential uptake of solar and battery systems promises to turn the traditional, centralised power grid on its head.
But will the system be as distributed as current trends suggest? What does the future of energy look like?
Energy Hack will bring experts in industry and policy together with researchers and students from diverse disciplines.
Twenty teams will be formed to workshop their ideas together with staff from Powershop and Melbourne Energy Institute over the course of the weekend before pitching their big idea to a panel of energy and technology industry experts including Professor Michael Brear (Melbourne Energy Institute), Chris Murphy (Powershop Australia), Dominique Fisher (LaunchVic and Australia Post), Georgia Beattie (Startup Victoria) and Jason Bagg (The Myer Family Investments).
The winning team will receive prizes including $5,000 cash, a Fonzarelli electric scooter, Powershop credits and more.
“Technology will undoubtedly be the driver of transformational change in the industry and Powershop is pleased to partner with Melbourne Energy Institute to unearth these big ideas at Energy Hack 2016,” said Powershop Australia CEO Ed McManus.
The Powershop team will be on hand to help the teams with everything from development, data, technology, whole of system analysis, market validation and positioning and growth marketing strategies, he said.
“Collaborating with the entrepreneurs and innovative service providers such as Powershop is important if our research is to translate into innovation,” said Melbourne Energy Institute Professor Michael Brear.
Eighty places are available on a first come first serve basis. Everyone with an interest in the energy revolution is invited to register.
The University of Melbourne has more than 300 researchers engaged in energy research.