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An IURC delegation from Europe and Australia has completed an intensive five-day study visit to Melbourne and Gippsland, Victoria, exploring how international regional cooperation can support the transition from traditional energy industries towards renewable energy, new economic opportunities and a socially inclusive net-zero future.
Taking place from 17–21 August 2026, the visit was organised in the framework of the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia programme and its regional cooperation on the energy transition. It brought European experience into direct dialogue with one of Australia’s regions undergoing a particularly significant economic and energy transformation.
The delegation included David Meyer, Innovation Manager for Renewable Energy and Wind with the Government of Bremen, Germany; and Maciej Kolczyński, Senior Advisor to Lodzkie Region and former Chief Specialist at the Polish Ministry for Regional Development, as well as Andrew Abel, Senior Policy Advisor for Climate, Critical Raw Materials, Energy and Environment at the Delegation of the European Union to Australia. The delegation was supported by Pablo Gándara, Bruce Wilson, Karen Cain and Ka Yu from the IURC Asia & Australasia team/helpdesk.
The study visit combined policy dialogue with direct exposure to major energy projects, former coal-mining areas, renewable-energy infrastructure, research and skills institutions, local government and industry. Discussions focused not only on technology and investment, but also on the wider regional implications of the energy transition: jobs and skills, industrial transformation, community participation, supply chains, infrastructure, mine rehabilitation and the creation of new economic opportunities in regions historically dependent on conventional energy industries.
From Melbourne to the Latrobe Valley: connecting policy, investment and regional transition
The programme began in Melbourne with discussions with the Victorian Government’s energy and investment teams, including representatives of Offshore Wind Energy Victoria (OWEV) to discuss the state’s emerging offshore wind industry and the opportunities it could create for international cooperation, investment and European expertise across the offshore wind value chain. The meeting followed up on a recent IURC online business mixer, which connected European and Australian companies and stakeholders around future renewable-energy opportunities. The timing was particularly relevant as Victoria is launching its first competitive offshore wind auction in August 2026, seeking proposals for an initial 2 GW of capacity, enough to power around 1.5 million homes. The exchange explored how IURC can help connect European experience in offshore wind, supply chains and related technologies with Victoria and Gippsland as the state develops this new industry.
The meeting included a ptresentation by Gören Sell, Cluster Manager for Energy at the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who explained the chamber’s role in connecting regions and industry in the energy transition. Mr. Sell referred to the EU-Australia FTA, the energy and climate partnership as well as to the upcoming participation of Australia in the Horizon Europe programme as outstanding framework conditions for concrete collaboration. He introduced the German-Australian energy transformatioon ecosystem which can deliver an industrial impact. He emphasised the need for a place-based approaach with no “one size fits all” solutions and expressed his support to the Gippsland-Bremen-Lodzkje cooperation within the IURC.
Meetings in Melbourne included several departments of the Melbourne City administration involved in three IURC communities of practice dealing with affordable housing & social cohesion, digital innovation and economic growth. Participants reported on past and future advanced cooperation visits with EU cities including Berlin, Tampere, Espoo, Grenoble, Warsaw and Tallinn, among others. The meeting was supported by Nicholas Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne City.
The delegation then travelled to the Latrobe Valley, a region whose long history of brown-coal mining and electricity generation makes it an important Australian example of the challenges and opportunities associated with the move towards net zero.
A central element of the visit was participation in the Gippsland New Energy Conference (GNEC) in Traralgon. The event was opened by Darren McCubbin, CEO, Gippsland Climate Change Network, Cr Sharon Gibson, Mayor, Latrobe City Council, and Cr Nathan Hersey, Mayor, South Gippsland Shire and Chair of OneGippsland.
The Ambassador of the European Union to Australia, Gabriele Visentin, was invited to deliver a video message. While referring to the rapidly growing demand from electrification, manufacturing and AI, he said:
“The EU-Australia relationship is moving into new territory, and to new partners across Australia. Regions on opposite sides of the world are grappling with the same transitions to ensure support jobs, skills and communities, and the IURC framework brings Europeans and Australians together to build new industries, new supply chains and new jobs. More proof that together we are stronger also in order to face global challenges.”
The IURC Team Leader Pablo Gándara held a keynote highlighting lessons from Europe’s transition away from coal. Drawing on experiences from regions such as Limburg and Germany’s Ruhr Area, he stressed that the energy transition is not only technological, but also a profound economic and social transformation. A successful transition therefore requires investment in new industries and jobs, reskilling, infrastructure, economic diversification, and strong community involvement. Through IURC, Gippsland can exchange these experiences with regions in Europe and translate them into concrete cooperation actions, he stated.
The IURC delegation contributed to the conference through a panel discussion about “International Partnerships for Transition”, moderated by Karen Cain, former Chief Executive Officer of Latrobe Valley Authority. During a panel discussion, David Meyer and Maciej Kolczyński introduced best practices from Bremen & Lodzkie, emphasising the role of business and research partners.
Representing the Federal State of Bremen, David Meyer presented Bremen’s experience in transforming a traditional industrial and port economy into an important European hub for renewable energy and offshore wind. He highlighted Bremen’s long-term climate strategy, which targets a 95% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2038, alongside the development of a strong green industrial ecosystem. Particularly relevant for Gippsland is the experience of Bremerhaven as an internationally recognised offshore wind competence centre, supported by companies and research institutes covering large parts of the wind-energy value chain, including R&D, project development, engineering, operations and maintenance. Bremen’s experience demonstrated how the energy transition can go beyond renewable generation itself to create new industries, skilled employment and internationally competitive supply chains—providing valuable lessons for Gippsland as its own offshore wind sector develops.
Maciej Kolczyński presented the experience of Poland’s Łódzkie Region and the transition of the lignite-dependent Bełchatów area. With coal extraction declining and power generation due to be phased out, the region is using €369.5 million from the EU Just Transition Fund to support economic diversification, renewable energy, reskilling and new investment. The presentation highlighted strong parallels with Gippsland, particularly the need to anticipate structural change and create new opportunities for workers and communities before traditional energy industries decline. The presentation highlighted progress already underway, including an increase in renewables from 5.4% to 10.4% of regional electricity production between 2019 and 2024, alongside measures supporting SMEs and new investment, reskilling in cooperation with universities and the Special Economic Zone, and a Just Transition Observatory monitoring employment, skills and social risks.
The panel highlighted how cooperation between European and Australian regions can help territories exchange practical solutions and avoid addressing complex transition challenges in isolation. The conference also created opportunities for exchanges with government, industry, research institutions and regional stakeholders involved in Gippsland’s emerging new-energy economy.
Overall, the Gippsland Climate Change Network (GCCN) conference involved over 850 participants with 192 speakers across 91 sessions.
Just transition: putting workers and communities at the centre
A particularly important dimension of the visit was the just transition.
The delegation met senior representatives connected with Australia’s Net Zero Economy Authority, including officials working on the Latrobe Valley, First Nations policy and worker transition. Discussions provided an opportunity to compare Australian and European approaches to managing structural change in regions affected by the phase-out or transformation of carbon-intensive industries.
For IURC partner regions, the exchange demonstrated that the energy transition cannot be understood only as the deployment of renewable technologies. Successful transition also requires coordinated policies for workers, skills, communities, regional economic development and investment, alongside mechanisms that allow local stakeholders to participate in shaping the future of their region.
This is particularly relevant to cooperation between Gippsland and European regions facing comparable structural transitions. Experiences from European coal and industrial regions can offer useful lessons for Gippsland, while Australia’s rapidly developing renewable-energy sector provides European partners with valuable insights into large-scale energy transformation in a different institutional, geographical and market context.
Seeing the transition on the ground
The study visit placed strong emphasis on learning directly from projects and places undergoing transformation. The delegation visited the Hazelwood Mine Rehabilitation Project, examining the long-term challenges associated with repurposing former mining land. The programme also included the Yallourn mine area and discussions around the future use of industrial sites and infrastructure.
The delegation also visited the Delburn Wind Farm, a major infrastructure project by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SEC) with OSMI Australia. “The SEC Delburn Wind Farm delivers Victoria’s first 100% publicly owned, utility-scale wind generation project just south of the Latrobe Valley in Gippsland. Once operational in 2028, the 33-turbine wind farm will generate up to 205-megawatts of renewable energy, enough to power more than 130,000 homes” – see SEC Website.
At TAFE Gippsland’s Centre for Clean Energy, attention turned to another essential component of the transition: developing the workforce and skills required by emerging energy industries.
At Federation University Australia, the IURC delegation held a wide-ranging exchange with Professors Mareels, Mohideen, Baumgartl, Shah, Kahanadawa, Reynolds, Sharma, Porter, Petter, Power, Reeves, Chand and Lancaster on the role of research, innovation and skills development in Gippsland’s transition from coal-based energy towards a diversified renewable energy economy.
Particular attention was given to opportunities for cooperation between Federation University and IURC partner regions and universities, including through the University’s Asia Pacific Renewable Energy Training Centre (APRETC). Based in regional Victoria and led by Professor Reihana Mohideen, APRETC combines renewable-energy training, education, research and industry partnerships, with activities covering offshore and onshore wind, hydrogen, geothermal, solar, battery storage and energy-system infrastructure. Its Gippsland presence in the Latrobe Valley offers a particularly relevant platform for future IURC cooperation on workforce development, applied research and knowledge exchange between European and Australian regions undergoing the energy transition. Australia’s planned association with Horizon Europe from 2027 onwards shall boost research and innovation cooperation.
IURC delegates had the chance to visit several research capabilities/labs at the Federation University.
The IURC delegation also participated in activities involving the Australian Centre for Offshore Wind Energy (ACOWE), bringing together researchers, investors and energy-sector stakeholders. The team participated in the ACOWE Technical Symposium 2026, where they learnt from education and social engagement projects with A/Professor Shiaohuey Chow, Director of ACOWE, Professor Andrew O’Loughlin, Federation University, and Stephanie Sabrinskas, Gippsland Climate Change Network.
These exchanges highlighted the importance of connecting research and innovation, education and training, industrial development and regional policy rather than treating them as separate elements of the transition.
Offshore wind featured prominently throughout the visit. Gippsland’s renewable-energy transformation creates potential opportunities extending from energy generation itself to ports, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, skills and local supply chains. This offers a particularly strong basis for further knowledge exchange with European regions such as Bremen, where offshore wind and the maritime economy have become important elements of regional economic transformation.
Local leadership: dialogue with One Gippsland
Regional and local leadership was another major focus. On 20 August, the IURC delegation met representatives of One Gippsland and local government leaders at Latrobe City Council in Morwell. The meeting was hosted by Councillor Nathan Hersey, Chair of OneGippsland, and included senior representatives from Latrobe valley, alongside Food & Fibre Gippsland CEO Simon Johnson, the European Union Centre of Excellence at RMIT University and IURC representatives.
The working session provided an opportunity for One Gippsland representatives to present the region’s policy priorities, followed by a dedicated discussion on Gippsland’s regional priorities and opportunities for collaboration with IURC partner regions.
The discussion reinforced one of the central principles of IURC cooperation: while the energy transition is shaped by national and state-level policy, many of its consequences are profoundly local. Municipalities and regional organisations are closely connected to communities, businesses, land-use decisions, skills needs and local infrastructure and therefore have a crucial role in turning energy investment into lasting regional development.
Meetings in Gippsland continued with a visit to the Yallourn Energy Security Precinct, where Dr. Jessica Reeves explained to the European delegates the +5,500-hectare Yallourn site and the opportunities after the coal era ends. At Latrobe Airport, Bruce Connolly, Manager Investment Attraction at LaTrobe City Council, introduced the ‘Latrobe Aerospace Technology Precinct’ supported by Victoria State and involving key university and industry partners to develop an advanced air mobility ecosystem at the precinct.
The delegation then met in Sale with the city’s Mayor Cindy Madeley and CEO David Morcom, who discussed the challenges facing Wellington’s agricultural sector with the IURC delegates. As in Europe, rising fuel costs put additional burdens on local businesses and producers, they said. They both highlighted the opportunities of the recently signed EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to cooperate in areas like traceability and regional branding – an area where EU regions have a lot of experience. Food & Fibre Gippsland CEO Simon Johnson referred to the strategic review 2026-2029, focusing on the economic value of the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors for the region (over 15.000 employees and AUD 7 billion turnover). His organisation is actively involved in the IURC project, especially in the Community of Practice “Resilient Agrifood Industry and Forestry” – along with Val d’Oise, Western Greece, Mazovia and Trier region. Simon is proposing a pilot action on branding and traceability based on the regional brand “Gippsland Trusted“.
Offshore wind, ports, circular economy and energy infrastructure
The final stage of the study visit expanded the perspective from the Latrobe Valley towards Wellington and South Gippsland, allowing the delegation to examine the territorial footprint of the emerging energy economy. In Wellington Shire, Southerly Ten‘s Regional Engagement manager Paul Johnson introduced how a major offshore wind project can create opportunities beyond electricity generation. Its proposed 2.2 GW project is mapping local capabilities and identifying opportunities to expand Australia’s supply chain, including secondary steel fabrication and long-term operations and maintenance.
During the discussions, Wellington Shire Councillor Garry Stephens highlighted the importance of ensuring that the region’s economic transition delivers tangible benefits for local communities. He pointed to Wellington’s strong agricultural and food and fibre base, alongside the rapidly developing offshore wind and renewable energy sector, as important pillars for future economic diversification. Cr Stephens particularly emphasised the potential to create new skilled jobs, strengthen local supply chains and retain young people in the region, while building on Wellington’s established industries and capabilities. In this context, he welcomed international cooperation through IURC as an opportunity to exchange experience with European regions facing similar economic and energy transitions.
A visit to Radial Timber demonstrated a low-carbon and circular-economy approach to timber production, linking the energy transition with the broader IURC agenda on sustainable production and regional bioeconomies. The visit included meetings with BioBoom Australia’s co-founder Ben Layton, who explained the advatages of timber-made biochar to restore soils of farms and landscapes under pressure.
At Port Anthony, discussions examined the potential role of port infrastructure in supporting offshore wind development and the logistical requirements of the emerging industry. The programme concluded with a briefing on Marinus Link, the major electricity interconnector project between Tasmania and Victoria.
Together, these visits illustrated how the energy transition reaches far beyond individual renewable-energy projects. It involves interconnected decisions about electricity grids, ports, transport, industrial sites, land use, natural resources, skills and regional supply chains.
From knowledge exchange to practical cooperation
The Gippsland visit forms part of IURC’s broader objective of turning international exchange into practical, long-term cooperation between regions.
Gippsland’s experience is highly relevant to European territories undergoing their own energy and industrial transitions. At the same time, European regions can bring decades of experience in areas such as structural transformation, offshore wind, regional innovation, industrial policy, skills development and mechanisms for supporting workers and communities affected by economic change.
The visit therefore provided an important opportunity to identify areas where IURC cooperation can progress from exchange of experience towards concrete joint activities.
Potential areas emerging from the discussions include just-transition approaches; offshore wind and associated supply chains; workforce development and reskilling; regional innovation ecosystems; rehabilitation and reuse of former industrial and mining sites; renewable-energy infrastructure; community engagement; and the development of new economic activities around the net-zero transition.
The exchanges also demonstrated the value of connecting local and regional actors directly with their international peers. This allows regions to compare not only successful projects, but also the practical difficulties of implementation — from community acceptance and workforce shortages to infrastructure requirements, investment attraction and ensuring that economic benefits remain within transitioning regions.
International cooperation for a locally anchored transition
Gippsland illustrates a challenge increasingly shared by regions across Europe, Australia and the wider world: how to transform an economy built around traditional energy industries while creating a competitive, inclusive and sustainable regional economy for the future.
The five-day IURC study visit showed that international cooperation can make an important contribution to this process. Regions do not need to develop every solution independently. By bringing together European experience and Australian innovation, IURC provides a platform for regions to learn from each other’s successes and challenges and to translate those lessons into locally appropriate action.
The visit also underlined that the transition to net zero will ultimately be judged not only by installed renewable-energy capacity or reductions in emissions, but by its ability to deliver new jobs, resilient communities, competitive businesses and long-term opportunities for the regions undergoing the greatest change.
For IURC, the Gippsland study visit therefore represents more than an exchange of good practices. It is another step towards building durable EU–Australia regional partnerships around one of the defining economic and territorial transformations of the coming decades.
Disclaimer: This news item has been elaborated with AI support.