Nod to the future in industry celebration

South Australia’s biggest names in energy and mining and some of its emerging success stories led the way at last night’s Premier’s Awards for Energy and Mining.

And in a demonstration of the calibre of competition among the contenders, two of the twelve award categories were won by joint winners.

BHP received five awards, which included Young Achiever, Young Indigenous Achiever, Environment – Resources, Health and Safety and Inclusion – Resources, and Productivity Improvement – Resources, which it shared with as joint winner with Adelaide-based underground mine support specialist Wilco Technologies.

Other familiar names to collect awards on the night included Santos, Beach Energy and RAA.

Adelaide-based and Australian-owned Apex Energy, renowned particularly for its work in renewable energy in remote areas of South Australia, took out the Community and Collaboration Energy award for its work to deliver the Oodnadatta Renewable Power Station. Awards judges called out the Oodnadatta project as an outstanding example of engaging and collaborating with community and other stakeholders.

The Community and Collaboration – Resources award went to the Resources and Energy Skills Alliance (RESA) for the Career Transition Service established in Whyalla to support steel works employees and the wider community.

Judges couldn’t split two finalists in the Environment – Energy category, with the award going jointly to RAA for South Australia's EV charging network and Santos for Moomba Carbon Capture and Storage Project. Similarly the Productivity Improvement – Resources category was shared by BHP for its Carrapateena Hydrofloat and Wilco Technologies for its Trajectaflex Resin Firing System.

The Awards celebrate and acknowledge the importance of the energy and mining sectors to South Australia. They profile examples of outstanding leadership, innovation and achievement by businesses or individuals. The Awards also highlight exceptional efforts to create safe and welcoming workplaces and promote new ways of involving communities in decision making.

Quotes

Attributable to Tom Koutsantonis

This year’s Awards captured the essence of South Australia’s energy and resources sector at a crucial juncture in our state’s history.

BHP is a vital partner in our shared ambition to ensure South Australia has a significant role in the global energy transition, working to bring copper to the world in volumes never seen before. That makes it fitting that the big Australian featured so prominently last night.

We also acknowledged other South Australian institutions and their innovations that will have an important role in our journey to net zero. The Environment – Energy award shared between Santos for its carbon capture and storage project, and RAA for the electric vehicle charging network, which was supported by a South Australian Government grant, speaks to the multi-faceted approach the sectors are taking to the challenges presented by climate change and the energy transition.

Most importantly, these awards also look to future generations and the solutions our future leaders will bring to these challenges. Our Young Indigenous Achiever Harley Bodger, and Young Achiever Elise Naumann, both from BHP, demonstrate the resilience, commitment and leadership that our energy and mining sectors will need if South Australia is to meet its potential.