SECCA and Curtin University Join Forces to Accelerate Energy Transition Across Perth’s South East Corridor

The South East Corridor Councils Alliance (SECCA) has taken an important step towards advancing Western Australia’s energy transition, bringing together local government leaders, Curtin University’s Institute for Energy Transition, Western Power and Synergy to explore how collaboration can help businesses, communities and government navigate the transition to a low-carbon future.

Hosted at Curtin University’s Exchange Precinct, the workshop highlighted the growing importance of place-based partnerships in tackling one of the state’s biggest economic and environmental challenges. Representing more than 390,000 residents across the Cities of Armadale, Canning, Gosnells and the Town of Victoria Park, the SECCA Corridor is responsible for around six per cent of Western Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and is increasingly positioning itself as a leader in practical, locally driven sustainability initiatives.

The workshop built on SECCA’s recent Energy Transition initiative undertaken in partnership with Western Power, Synergy and Business Foundations, which explored how commercial and industrial businesses can participate in distributed energy resources and future Virtual Power Plant (VPP) opportunities. Through workshops, business engagement and site visits, the project identified a common theme: while businesses recognise the benefits of energy transition, many are held back by uncertainty, limited technical knowledge, landlord constraints and difficulty navigating a rapidly changing energy market.

Rather than viewing these barriers as obstacles, participants agreed they represent opportunities for greater collaboration.

Curtin Institute for Energy Transition Director Professor Peta Ashworth highlighted the importance of connecting research with real-world implementation, noting that universities can play an important role in working alongside local government, industry and communities to understand barriers, develop practical solutions and support businesses through the transition.

Discussions also reinforced that technology alone will not deliver the energy transition. Trust, practical demonstration projects and business-led case studies will be equally important in helping commercial and industrial businesses build confidence in new technologies and business models.

Western Power and Synergy shared insights into the changing electricity market and the opportunities created through distributed energy resources, while recognising that businesses require clearer pathways, trusted advice and stronger investment confidence before widespread adoption can occur.

The workshop also explored how the transition extends beyond renewable energy. Participants discussed opportunities in circular economy initiatives, battery and solar panel recycling, electrification of fleets and facilities, sustainable precinct design, and future workforce opportunities associated with emerging industries such as energy infrastructure decommissioning.

A guided tour of Curtin University’s award-winning Exchange Precinct demonstrated many of these principles in practice, showcasing six-star Green Star buildings, campus-wide sustainability initiatives, renewable energy systems, biodiversity restoration, integrated water management, public transport connectivity and future battery storage projects. The precinct illustrated how environmental sustainability, urban design and economic development can be integrated into a single long-term vision.

Importantly, the workshop concluded with a shared commitment to continue working together. Participants identified several opportunities to progress over the coming months, including developing business champions to showcase successful energy transition projects, expanding engagement with chambers of commerce and industry, creating applied student and research projects, and exploring opportunities for joint advocacy to State Government.

For SECCA, the partnership represents another important step towards its vision of creating Western Australia’s most sustainable corridor.

As SECCA Chairperson Mayor Karen Vernon noted, energy transition is not a one-off project but a long-term journey requiring trusted partnerships, practical demonstration and coordinated advocacy. By bringing together local government, research institutions, industry and energy providers, the partnership aims to translate research into tangible outcomes that help businesses reduce costs, improve resilience and contribute to Western Australia’s low-carbon future.

The workshop marks the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between SECCA and Curtin University that will help shape the next phase of the Corridor’s energy transition agenda, supporting innovation, strengthening business capability and positioning Perth’s South East Corridor as a leading example of place-based decarbonisation.