Gladstone is gearing up for a transition to renewable energy with a leading regional tertiary organisation helping to identify the barriers.
CQUniversity has developed an event aimed at combining industry knowledge with community ideas and priorities, and help build momentum for projects for the region.
The event wil build on work by the CQU Gladstone’s Regional Enablers Program, which last year began identifying the early challenges facing Gladstone’s transition to renewable energy.
It found recurring issues, from workforce capability to technology adoption to the reliability and cost of clean energy supply.
The Energy Futures: From Challenge to Innovation event on Tuesday 10 March will now focus on the solutions to these regional problems.
Harnessing new ideas
CQU Social Impact Lab Program Manager Steve Williams said 2026 events would refine and validate challenges already uncovered.
“Our March networking event refines these challenges into real‑world problem statements for school students to work on at the Future Creators Challenge in May, before returning in September to present their solutions to community and industry,” he said.
“Participant’s input will directly shape which real-world problems local students will work on, and which opportunities progress toward prototypes, partnerships and pilot possibilities later in the year.”
It will focus on a number of themes including funding & investment, community Perceptions, skilled workforce and youth engagement.
Experience led
The March networking event will welcome the expertise of Peter Ware, chief operating officer of Alpha HPA.
The innovative company is leading high-purity aluminium extraction in Gladstone, based on its world-first commercialised solvent extraction technique, producing a range of materials for use in high technology like lithium-ion batteries.
Ware leads Alpha HPA’s operations and project execution, including construction and commissioning of the Stage Two HPA First Project in Gladstone – the world’s largest high-purity aluminium materials facility.
“Gladstone’s industrial transition will be shaped by the strength of our workforce,” Ware said.
“New industries need skilled people. If we want to remain a leading industrial region, we must invest in young people and give them clear pathways into engineering, operations, technology and advanced manufacturing.
“At Alpha HPA we are building a world-scale facility in Gladstone. That creates real jobs and long-term careers. Programs like Energy Futures help students see those opportunities early and understand the skills they need to step into them.
“The future of this region depends on building capability here at home.”
The free event will also feature project partner BOP Industries, with Head of Programs Maddie Panther to share insights from their work with high school student participants.
Register now to attend Energy Futures: From Challenge to Innovation at CQU Gladstone Marina campus, Tuesday 10 March, 12 noon – 2pm.