ACOWE Technical Symposium 2026
Federation University Australia, Churchill Campus
Share via
More Information
About the event
- Presented by ACOWE in collaboration with the Gippsland New Energy Conference (GNEC26)
- An opportunity for researchers and key stakeholders to share knowledge, network and collaborate across the diverse disciplines addressing offshore wind challenges and opportunities, specifically in the Australian context.
- The ACOWE Technical Symposium 2026 provides the technical community to share their latest research on Australia’s unique offshore wind challenges and opportunities.
Registration
Standard Registration 19 – 20 August 2026 |
| $200 |
Complimentary Student Registration 19 – 20 August 2026 |
| $0 |
Schedule
Wednesday, 19 August 2026 | Morwell Innovation Centre |
|---|---|
5:30pm – 7:30pm | Welcome reception |
Thursday, 20 August 2026 | Federation University, Churchill |
8:00am – 8:30am | Registration |
8:30am – 8:50am | Welcome to Symposium | A/Professor Shiaohuey Chow, Director of ACOWE |
| Session 1 | Planning Part 1 | |
8:50am – 9:10am | Session Chair | Professor Andrew O'Loughlin, Federation University Keynote | The Power of Partnerships: How Collaboration Can Solve the Energy Transition's Biggest Challenges Keynote Speaker | Alistair Parker, Chief Executive Officer, VicGrid |
9:10am – 9:20am | Not Just for and Against: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Unpacking the Complexity of Stakeholders' Attitudes to Offshore Wind Developments A/Professor Michelle Voyer, University of Wollongong |
9:20am – 9:30am | Environmental Monitoring of Offshore Wind Projects: A Whole Life Cycle Approach Dr Daniel Machado, Iberdrola |
9:30am – 9:40am | Outcomes and Reflections from the Geomorphology and Benthic Characterisation RERI Projects Aero Leplastier, Geoscience Australia |
9:40am – 10:00am | Q&A Session and Discussion |
10:00am – 10:30am | Morning Tea |
| Session 2 | Planning Part 2 | |
10:30am – 10:50am | Session Chair | A/Professor Michelle Voyer, University of Wollongong Keynote | UK Case Study: Driving Long-Term Commitment and Local Benefit Through Offshore Wind Clusters Keynote Speaker | Lauren Little, Senior Stakeholder Advisor, Ørsted, UK |
10:50am – 11:00am | What Does It Mean To Be a Good Host? Preparedness of Yarram for Offshore Wind A/Professor Jess Reeves, Federation University |
11:00am – 11:10am | Refined Offshore Wind Farm Collision Risk for Albatrosses and Petrels Professor Rohan Clarke, Monash University |
11:10am – 11:20am | The Application of Underwater Acoustics for Offshore Wind: from Impact Assessment to Construction Craig McPherson, JASCO |
11:20am – 11:40am | Q&A Session and Discussion |
11:40am – 11:50am | Student Showcase Alexader Fejer, University of New South Wales and BMT | Alireza Asgari Motlagh, University of Wollongong | Amin Ghotbi, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology | Dilan Weerasooriya, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology | Qinming Wu, University of Western Australia | Reza Khodayari, University of Melbourne | Shane Richardson, Murdoch University | Yuze Yan, Adelaide University |
11:50am- 12:50pm | Lunch and Poster Session |
| Session 3 | Design and Construction | |
12:50pm – 1:10pm | Session Chair | Dr Jana Orszaghova, University of Western Australia and Blue Economy CRC Keynote | Low Installation Noise Foundations in Australian Carbonate Sediments Keynote Speaker | Professor Britta Bienen, University of Western Australia |
1:10pm – 1:20pm | Extreme Wind Systems in a Changing Climate: Implications for Offshore Wind Architecture A/Professor Savin Chand, Federation University |
1:20pm – 1:30pm | Whole Life Risk-based Design for Subsea Cables – Where Early Design Decisions Can Provide Benefit Dr Jack Jorgensen, Aurora Offshore Engineering |
1:30pm – 1:40pm | Holistic Economical Offshore Wind Turbine Solution for Australia Dr Massoud Sofi, University of Melbourne |
1:40pm – 2:00pm | Q&A Session and Discussion |
2:00pm – 2:30pm | Afternoon Tea |
| Session 4 | Operation, Maintenance and Decommissioning | |
2:30pm – 2:50pm | Session Chair | Professor Ty Christopher, University of Wollongong Keynote | Ecological Science as a Core Design Discipline: Integrating Nature Across the Lifecycle of Offshore Wind Keynote Speaker | Dr Chris Gillies, Chief Executive Officer, Offshore Biotechnologies |
2:50pm – 3:00pm | Applications of Concrete Mattresses in Offshore Wind Projects Dr Bingchang Zhang, University of Western Australia |
3:00pm – 3:10pm | Illawarra Clean Energy Roadmap: Workforce and Circular Economy Dr Makrita Solitei, University of Wollongong |
3:10pm – 3:30pm | Q&A Session and Discussion |
| Session 5 | Next Steps | |
3:30pm – 3:50pm | Session Chair | A/Professor Shiaohuey Chow, University of Melbourne Keynote | Advancing Australia's Offshore Wind Future: Blue Economy Research, Collaboration and Demonstration Keynote Speaker | Professor Irene Penesis, Research Director, Blue Economy CRC |
3:50pm – 4:20pm | Closing Panel Discussion | Begin with the End in Mind: Designing Australia's Offshore Wind Legacy Moderator | A/Professor Shiaohuey Chow, University of Melbourne Panelists |
4:20pm – 4:30pm | Closing | Dr Jana Orszaghova, ACOWE Technical Symposium Chair, University of Western Australia and Blue Economy CRC |