New England community to design energy solutions, EPIC
The New England community will design enterprise solutions at the UNE SMART Region Incubator’s inaugural energy focussed Innovation Challenge in April.
The Energy Powered Innovation Challenge (EPIC) invites people from across the community to come together. Students, researchers, industry, technologists, and investors will work in teams alongside other interested community members to help solve key energy challenges, including: communicating opportunities for the community; turning waste into opportunity; preparing for emergencies (and keeping the lights on); and creating jobs and houses to grow opportunity.
The New England region is the second, and largest of five Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) in NSW.
“As global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net-zero by 2050 are gaining momentum, and as an identified REZ, the New England is uniquely positioned to identify and create opportunities - securing NSW’s energy supply while ensuring shared prosperity locally,” said Dr Lou Conway, UNE SMART Region Incubator Director.
“Our region can be a leader in this space. EPIC will engage diverse talents to consider challenges and design solutions that impact locally and globally.”
Representatives from industry, government, education, and community organisations met at NOVA in Armidale this week for a round table discussion. The group identified opportunities presented by the REZ, including population and jobs growth, but noted that it does not provide significant direct employment.
“The exciting possibilities come from the New England community working alongside the REZ, co-designing innovations that utilise research, First Nations and other local knowledge, ensure community benefit, preserve the natural environment, and keep the energy here through circular economy solutions,” Dr Conway said.
The roundtable was a first step towards developing opportunities to benefit from energy and renewables, and to identify four challenge statements that will be addressed at EPIC:
· How might we generate stories to engage and inspire the whole community in our renewable energy future;
· How might we use renewable energy to create the rubbish revolution, turning waste into opportunity;
· In the face of a changing climate, how might we make sure the lights stay on at home and at work;
· How might we lead the way in re-imagining the regional jobs and services of the future.
EPIC will be held in Armidale on 27 and 28 April, 2023.
Participants will work in teams to design solutions for these challenges, and the winning team will win $5000 to be used to take their solution to the next level.
According to Dr Conway, hackathon style events provide space and opportunity for the community to participate in innovative co-creation.
“We have seen ideas grow into opportunities for more innovative practices in organisations or as start-ups,” she said.
“Using human centred design thinking, innovation challenges generate rapid prototyping of ideas and provide solutions that can make impact!”
EPIC is supported by regional collaborators including Armidale Regional Council, NSW Government, University of New England, their mentors and amazing networks of community supporters.
