The New England Northwest Future Energy Forum 2026 will bring together industry, government, and regional leaders in Armidale today to examine the current state of play, where the transition is headed, and what it will mean in practice for local businesses and communities.
Purpose-built around regional priorities and held in partnership with Essential Energy, the forum will focus on the planning and delivery of power infrastructure that underpins investment certainty, workforce readiness, and the development of future-ready communities. As the New England Renewable Energy Zone progresses, the region is increasingly at the forefront of New South Wales’s energy transformation.
The forum will take a practical lens to the opportunities and challenges ahead, with discussion centred on energy costs, system reliability, and the broader implications for business operations and growth.
A key focus will be how the region responds to the flow-on effects of large-scale infrastructure delivery, including workforce demand, skills availability, and housing pressures. Conversations will explore how businesses can prepare for and respond to these shifts, what it will take to support a growing workforce, and how regional communities can position themselves to capture long-term economic benefit.
Business NSW Regional Director, New England North West, Stephanie Cameron said the forum is designed to support informed, regionally grounded decision-making.
“This is about understanding where we are now, where we are heading, and what that means for businesses on the ground. The scale of change underway presents real opportunity for the region, but it also requires coordination, planning and clear insight to ensure those opportunities are realised locally.”
Keynote speakers include John Cleland, CEO of Essential Energy, who will provide an update on the state’s energy transition and the network investment supporting regional certainty, and Leah Tucker from Business NSW, who will present insights from Running on Empty 2.0, including energy security risks and cost impacts for business.
This event also features a regional update from EnergyCo, alongside a panel discussion including GHD, examining the practical implications of the energy transition for business, such as local procurement, investment confidence and the infrastructure required to support sustainable regional growth.
The forum will also provide an opportunity for regional stakeholders to connect and share perspectives, helping to strengthen alignment across industry, government and community as the transition accelerates.
Event Details:
Date: Monday, 30 March
Time: 10:30am to 2:00pm
Location: UNE SRI NOVA Centre, 122 Faulkner Street, Armidale NSW
Inclusions:
- Light networking lunch
- Tea, coffee and refreshments provided by NSW Business of the Year, Walcha Coffee
Registrations: https://www.123tix.com.au/events/51797/new-england-north-west-future-energy-forum-2026-business-nsw
Media Release: Business NSW New England Northwest
