PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
In 1990 Robert formed his company "Electric Power Consulting Pty Ltd" to provide professional energy and electrical engineering consulting services throughout Australia and overseas.
Major projects have included:• Provide advice on the development of 54MW of cogeneration at the Shoalhaven Starches Bomaderry plant. Preparation of a report for AEMO/Shoalhaven Starches for classification of the cogeneration plant as a non-market and non-scheduled generator 2021-2023.
• Royal Adelaide Hospital, Cogeneration Review for Celsus 2023.
• Presentation to the WA Chapter of the Electric Energy Society of Australia in Perth, “The Net Zero Dream, Renewables or Nuclear?” 2022.
• Site inspection of the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Darlington Nuclear Power Station, Canada and the General Electric Nuclear Fuel facilities at Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. Plus public presentation to the Australian Nuclear Association 2022.
• Review of Market Opportunities for Low Voltage Grid Connected Battery Storage for Ecojoule 2022.
• Pre-feasibility Study on a Gravity Energy Storage System for Lucas Drilling 2022.
• Cowal Gold Mine, Lake Cowal NSW, power quality analysis of a power system disturbances for Evolution Mining 2022.
• EPC analysis and supplementary submission on the draft 2021 AEMO Integrated System Plan (ISP) 16 June 2022.
• Expert Witness report prepared for Energex/ Carter Newel Lawyers, Report on house fire at Bulimba Queensland 2022.
• EPC analysis and submission on the draft 2021 AEMO Integrated System Plan (ISP) 11 February 2022.
• 26 module, post graduate, Master of Power Engineering Course on Distribution Network Planning prepared and delivered for the University of Wollongong 2021.
• M5 Tunnel Sydney, 33kV transformer reliability assessment, report for Transport for NSW 2020.
• Measurement of Power System Harmonics, assessment of Thevenin/Norton inverter impedances and measurement of transformer excitation currents at the 220kV Sunraysia Solar Farm, Balranald NSW for the John Lang Group 2020.
• Measurement of excitation currents for a range of 330kV/33kV, 33kV/690V and 33kV/620V power transformers at the Biala and Gullen Range windfarms for Goldwind 2020.
• Expert Witness report prepared for Ergon Energy/ Carter Newel Lawyers, Report on customer impacts of Power Quality Disturbances at Mackay Queensland 2020.
• Review Findings – Loss of Electricity Supply within the Royal Adelaide Hospital on 16 November 2019 & 31 January 2020. Prepared for Celsus 2020.
• Expert Witness report prepared for Energex/ Carter Newel Lawyers/ Queensland Supreme Court on the Manilla St South Brisbane, Queensland Fire 2019.
• Expert Witness report prepared for WorkSafe WA, Morley Galleria Shopping Centre Accident, Western Australia 2019.
• Expert Witness report prepared for thompson cooper lawyers on the Pro-Strip Static Electric Shock Incident 2019.
• Royal Adelaide Hospital Power System Harmonics Compliance Report prepared for Celsus 2019.
• Expert Witness report prepared for Chadwick Lawyers on the Powerline Incident at Frederick Street, Blacktown 2019.
• Report on Power Quality Issues at PMB Defence, 655 Mersey Rd, Osbourne South Australia 2018
• Three day industry based “Master of Electric Power Distribution Engineering” post graduate course prepared and presented at the University of Wollongong on the subject of Distribution Network Planning, 2018.
• Electricity Distribution Training course prepared and delivered for engineering staff of the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board. Presented at the University of Technology Sydney 2017.
• Panellist for the University of Technology Sydney /ARUP Zunz Lecture 2016 on the topic “The Electric Future”. Broadcast on Radio National 8 December 2016.
• Gold Coast Light Rail 750VDC System. Setting of stray current limits and identification and initiation of control strategies for achieving very substantial stray current reductions. Stray current emission levels reduced to meet the nominated levels. Gold Coast Stray Current Steering Group Committee comprising GoldlinQ, McConnell Dowell, Bombardier, Telstra, Energex, Gold Coast Water, Gold Coast City Council, APA Gas and the Queensland Government. 2015-16.
• Expert Witness reports prepared for Energex/ Curwoods Lawyers/ Queensland Supreme Court on the Sundowner Hotel Fire, Queensland 2015.
• Rail Access Corporation, Rail Infrastructure Corporation, RailCorp and Sydney Trains – A wide range of projects including review of ownership arrangements of electricity assets, 1500VDC traction and signalling supply reliability, electricity billing and management of retail electricity customers, bulk electricity purchases, power quality and harmonic measurement and analysis, review of protection field staff capabilities and high voltage electricity supply issues with Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy 1998 – 2014.
• Medium Voltage Electrical Accident Wapweelah NSW – Expert witness reports for Essential Energy and Colin Biggers & Paisley 2014.
• Investigation of Transformer 2A & 2B Failures at Eraring Power Station – Expert witness for Origin Energy and Clayton Utz 2013.
• Medium and Low Voltage – Voltage Rationalisation Report. A plan for implementing 230V throughout Ausgrid 2011.
• AS61000.3.100 Limits – Steady state voltage limits in public electricity systems – coordinator and co-author – subcommittee EL034 Standards Australia 2011.
• Power System Harmonics study on the Kurri Kurri Aluminium Smelter for EnergyAustralia. 2011
• Electricity Distribution System Audit, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) covering all aspects of Distribution Network Operations, Malaysia. 2009
• National Long Term Power Quality Survey with the University of Wollongong, and in association with Aurora Energy, Powercor, Alinta, EnergyAustralia, Integral Energy, Country Energy, Energex and Ergon. 2007-2014
• Post Graduate lecturing in the field of Power Quality for Wollongong University Power Quality courses (Wollongong, Auckland New Zealand and Christchurch New Zealand) and the ESAA summer school (UNSW). 2000-2017
• Loss Factor Study of the Northern Territory Utilities Commission. 2004
• Development of Ring Fencing Procedures for TransGrid. 2002
• Loadflow and Power System stability studies for the Pindari hydro power station for Power Facilities Pty Ltd. 2000
• Electrical Safety review for Integral Energy.
• National Short Term Power Quality Survey with the Illawarra Technology Corporation Limited and ESAA in association with Aurora Energy, CitiPower, EnergyAustralia, Integral Energy, Advance Energy, Great Southern Energy, Energex, Ergon, Western Power and ETSA.
• Audit of Asset Valuations for Great Southern Energy, South East Queensland Electricity Corporation and North Queensland Electricity Corporation.
• Review of electricity distribution ownership options for the Jervis Bay Territory.
• PhD completed in Series Capacitor Compensation.
• Water supply and waste water system energy audits for Goulburn City Council, Wingecarribee Shire Council, Walcha Shire Council and Shoalhaven City Council.
• 11kV co-generation preliminary design, protection setting, protection testing and protection commissioning for Associated Pulp and Paper Mill, Shoalhaven (now Australian Paper).
• High voltage fault level and protection study for Australian Paper (Shoalhaven Mill), H.M.A.S. Albatross, Shoalhaven Starches (Bomaderry Plant) and Christmas Island.
• System loss studies for Ulan Electric and Murrumbidgee Electricity.
• Training programs for the electricity distribution industry.
• Cost reflective electricity pricing study for Ulan Electric.
• Software development – energy management system for Shoalhaven City Council and Electricity Billing System for the Commonwealth Department of Environment Sport and Territories, Jervis Bay Administration.
• Energy Audit and Reactive Power Study for the Ulan Coal Mines.
1985 – 1990