Energy Source & Distribution spends five minutes getting to know Brett Watson, Executive General Manager for Electrification & Automation, Siemens Australia and New Zealand.
Brett, please tell us a bit about your professional background:
I began my journey with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Queensland, which set the foundation for my career in the energy sector. After completing my studies, I took on various roles where I managed operations and engineering teams, implementing lean transformations and improving product competitiveness. A significant milestone in my career was co-founding Kaon Electric. Here, we developed the Fusesaver medium voltage circuit breaker to enhance the reliability of rural power distribution. Our success in innovation eventually led to the acquisition by Siemens, marking a pivotal moment in my professional journey. I’ve worked with Siemens for nearly 12 years now. Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a passion for developing technologies that contribute to a sustainable and resilient energy future. This passion continues to guide my work at Siemens, where we aim to shape a better future for all.
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Having been with Siemens for over a decade, what are some of the biggest changes in the energy sector you’ve witnessed?
The energy landscape in Australia has undergone remarkable transformations. One of the most significant changes is the rapid pace of the energy transition towards renewables. Developing new technologies and adopting digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and IoT has been a major game-changer. Digitalisation plays a crucial role in the transition process. Being at the forefront of developing and deploying technologies that shape the future of energy excites me and has been incredibly rewarding.
What are some of the major challenges of electrification in the energy transition, from your perspective?
For most people, the electrical grid might seem invisible, but it’s the backbone of our energy transition journey. We can’t keep expanding the network as we’ve done in the past, so we need to focus on three key areas to make this transition successful. First, we must maximise our existing infrastructure and the latest technology. This can help us achieve significant efficiency gains, which are crucial for our goals. Second, we must improve the transparency of lower-voltage electrical networks. This means giving everyone involved a better understanding of the system, which can lead to smarter decisions and better overall performance. Lastly, it’s important to understand that sustainability and grid stability go hand in hand. Many people think they’re opposites, but they actually support each other. We need to balance both.
What solutions is Siemens developing in response to these challenges?
The electrical grid is crucial for a successful energy transition. Wherever utilities are in their journey, they turn to us for help. Our sustainable hardware, software, and advanced digital solutions are designed to reduce CO2 footprints while transforming grids into autonomous, resilient, and sustainable power networks. At Siemens, technology and sustainability aren’t just ideals—they drive our business. Our Electrification and Automation portfolio works to eliminate F-gases from switchgear with our blue GIS (gas-insulated switchgear). We are also starting to support hydrogen projects as an alternative energy source and help customers integrate renewables and manage uncertainties with our automation and microgrid solutions. We are collaborating with companies leading renewable deployment projects. Our market-leading portfolio includes state-of-the-art hardware and digital solutions, and combined with our global presence, financing capabilities, and project delivery expertise, we help partners accelerate the move to 24/7 clean energy. This commitment underscores our dedication to driving change, creating value, and shaping a sustainable future for everyone.
With multiple forms of generation and storage technologies forming part of the grid, what are some of the major considerations in terms of grid intelligence, resilience and stability?
The shift towards decentralised renewable energy generation and mobile loads like EV charging has made grid management more complex, especially at lower voltage levels with less transparency. To achieve grid reliability and stability, we need better transparency and digitalisation. Digitalisation is key. Advanced technologies like cloud computing, digital solutions, and decentralised grid intelligence at low voltage levels will be crucial for navigating the energy transition. Our latest addition to our portfolio is Electrification X, a highly scalable Internet-of-Things SaaS solution designed to transform electrification infrastructure. It merges the real and digital worlds, helping renewable generators, transmission and distribution system operators, and industrial and infrastructure customers manage their entire energy networks. This leads to increased uptime, improved reliability, better asset utilisation, energy efficiency, sustainability, and cybersecurity. By adopting this approach, grid operators can enhance grid intelligence and resilience, accelerate the energy transition, and gain a competitive edge.
Related article: Sustainable switch: Ausgrid first to install Siemens’ blue GIS
Any final thoughts?
Australia has all the ingredients to be a renewable energy superpower. We need to stay focused on increasing the speed of deployment and, as we focus on generating enough green energy to meet base load needs, we need to also push ahead strongly with creating adequate storage to support what is generated. This task will be the focus of our generation, and I am proud that our team here and Siemens globally are making profound contributions to this mission.
