Page 37 - Energize January 2022

VIEWS AND OPINION

Net Zero is the ‘what’ - but technology

with purpose will drive the ‘how’

Information from Siemens

ommitments to net zero are important, but the real test is moving from the ‘what’
to the ‘how’. Jeff Connolly, Chairman and CEO of Siemens Australia and the Pacific,
Cexplains why this requires a more inclusive and holistic approach.
There’s been a lot of talk about net zero and carbon neutral lately – but how do you
get there? According to Jeff Connolly, industry, infrastructure and energy sectors must
converge – which can only be done with the help of digital technologies, some of them yet
to be developed. Australia, blessed with ideal conditions to harvest renewable energy, can
play a critical role on the way to decarbonisation, not only in the APAC region but also for
the world, as Connolly is convinced.
On 26 October 2021, Australia committed to net zero by 2050 – an announcement
that was made during COP26 at Glasgow. This follows a long list of countries, cities and
companies making similar commitments. “I call this the ‘what,’” said Prof. Connolly.
“These are admirable commitments, but the real test is when the rubber hits the road and
we move to the ‘how’.” Jeff Connolly
Many who have made the commitments have outlined plans to some extent, but the
reality is that, like New Year’s resolutions, what happens after the resolution is the most “The task at hand is an
important part and is much more difficult to live up to. Bringing net zero commitments to engineering and technology feat
life will be similar. – the likes of which we have never
“Your frame of reference needs to be big when you’re trying to address a big topic seen before” – Jeff Connolly
like climate change and net zero, but it also needs to be focussed,” says Connolly.
Prof Connolly is no stranger to big topics as he led Australia’s journey to preparing In terms of Siemens own targets, in 2015
for Industry 4.0 as chairman of the prime minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce – part of why the company was one of the first major
he received the title of adjunct professor. And now he leads the Australian government’s industrial companies to set a carbon neutral
taskforce review into commercialisation of research, another topic critical to Australia’s target by 2030 and the company is well on
future. its way to achieving this. Since launching
“Moving from the ‘what’ to the ‘how’ is far more complex than waving placards and the program Siemens has reduced its own
shouting one-line slogans.” Connolly likens it to when President John F. Kennedy famously CO 2 emissions by 54%. Energy efficiency
said to US Congress on the 25th of May 1961 that “this nation should commit itself to upgrades will pay for themselves over time.
achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning
him safely to earth.” Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon on the 20th of July Convergence is the big picture
1969. Prof Connolly has spent many years
“The moon landing didn’t happen by accident,” said Connolly. “NASA estimated highlighting core technology-linked
that it took more than 400 000 engineers, scientists and technicians to accomplish the trends such as Industry 4.0, digitalisation,
moon landings. Clearly it was far more complex than just looking at the type of fuel they the future of energy and the transition
required.” to integrated intelligent infrastructure.
Connolly is optimistic and has no doubt that the targets are achievable with the “Electrification of everything, digitalisation
right minds. “We can achieve net zero, but it requires great minds with holistic views and IoT are driving and enabling a
including an understanding of the role of industry and infrastructure and people who technological convergence.
know how an electron is produced,” Prof Connolly said. “Our political leaders can drive It’s not dissimilar to the convergence
the changes by setting goals and visions and even providing funding and favourable that took place over the last 30 years
public policy settings. But then you need people with the right skills to make it happen. in telecommunications; that is, voice,
The task at hand is an engineering and technology feat – the likes of which we have data and video have all converged and
never seen before.” we now take this for granted. Energy,
Siemens own sustainability targets and achievements is testament to what can be infrastructure, and industry are all
realized in a truly sustainable way. “These challenges will be solved through technology converging, and this means more
and innovation, accelerated through collaborative partnerships and the right policy opportunities but also a need to approach
settings. It’s all possible and Siemens is proof of the pudding,” Prof. Connolly said. things differently.”

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