We are proud to introduce the 2026 Award finalists. Find out more about their projects and programs, and the achievements that are helping power progress for our state.

  • Acknowledging the outstanding achievements and impact of individuals aged 30 years or younger in South Australia's energy or resources sector.

    Aboud Babaa, Graduate Project Engineer,  Santos

    Aboud Babaa is an Engineer working in the energy sector. Since joining the Santos Graduate Program in 2024 he has worked in roles within technical services, innovation and major projects. Early in his career, Aboud has established a reputation for identifying inefficiencies, respectfully challenging the status quo and seeking opportunities to utilise new technologies and systems to improve processes. He embraces digital tools and brings a unique perspective, combining technical skill with a commerce-focused mindset.

    During his 15 months as an Innovation Adviser in Santos’ Real Impact Centre, Aboud worked on a range of challenges relevant to the sector. He also developed Ignite, an internal innovation platform deployed Santos-wide to gather ideas from employees and enable them to participate in the Centre’s work.

    Aboud is now in a Project Engineer role, supporting a key Cooper Basin midstream infrastructure project that seeks to support operational longevity and emissions reduction.

    Emily Palmer, Superintendent Control Operations, BHP

    Emily Palmer is an emerging leader in mining whose influence extends beyond her professional role. In eight years, Emily has progressed from Graduate Geotechnical Engineer to Superintendent of Mine Control Operations at BHP’s Olympic Dam, building experience across Engineering, Mine Execution and Contracts. She manages a team of 15 with an annual budget of $9 million. This 24/7 Control Room supports up to 500 people working underground and is the central hub for Mine Evacuations.

    Emily is recognised for combining technical expertise with people-focused leadership centred on safety, teamwork, and developing others. She also serves as President of the Eastern Australian Ground Control Group (EAGCG), a not-for-profit dedicated to advancing technical excellence and knowledge across mining. Through mentoring, professional development, and collaboration, Emily supports the next generation of mining professionals.

    Reece Townsend, Senior Reliability Engineer, Santos

    Reece Townsend is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and emerging leader in Australia's energy and resources sector. He has built a reputation for delivering exceptional technical outcomes, leading multidisciplinary teams, and driving meaningful improvements in asset reliability, safety, and operational performance.

    Over six years, Reece has progressed from Graduate Engineer with Glencore to Senior Reliability Engineer and Acting Reliability Engineering Team Lead at Santos, supporting critical energy infrastructure. His experience includes underground, open-cut and fixed plant environments across Australia, developing reliability-centred maintenance strategies for major operating facilities, supporting capital projects exceeding $100 million, and successfully leading a team of 12 engineers across multiple disciplines.

    Reece’s ability to combine deep technical expertise with leadership, innovation, and a genuine commitment to developing others distinguishes him. His passion for continuous improvement, emerging technologies, and engineering excellence is helping shape future industry capability while delivering tangible benefits to both operations and the broader sector.

    Young Indigenous Achievers

    Dana Wright, Processing Operator, Iluka Resources

    Dana Wright is a proud Kokatha and Mirning woman from the Far West Coast whose journey reflects resilience, determination, and a commitment to continuous growth. Dana began her mining career in 2023 as a Laboratory Metallurgist Assistant at Iluka's Jacinth-Ambrosia operation and has since progressed through a range of roles including plant operations, field operations, earthmoving, haul truck operation, and control room operations.

    As a young Indigenous woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Dana has demonstrated adaptability, confidence, and a strong work ethic while developing a broad range of technical and leadership skills. Committed to fostering a positive workplace culture, Dana leads by example through mentoring, teamwork, and a dedication to safety. Her achievements, community involvement, and commitment to Indigenous representation makes her an outstanding Young Indigenous Achiever Award nominee.

    Joel Hill, Training Specialist, BHP

    Joel is a standout achiever whose resilience, integrity and leadership set him apart. Proudly representing the Wiilman people of the Noongar Nation, Joel has transformed personal challenges, including experiences of racism, into opportunities to educate, build understanding and foster inclusion. In doing so, he has become a confident and respected voice. Joel consistently exceeds expectations, delivering high‑quality outcomes well beyond those expected of him, while demonstrating exceptional reliability, initiative and a commitment to continuous improvement. His work on complex projects and mastery of multiple systems reflects both capability and drive.

    Beyond his role, Joel actively gives back by mentoring Indigenous students through the Tjindu Foundation and supporting GO Foundation alumni, quietly guiding others to achieve their goals. With our Indigenous Engagement team, Joel works with Traditional Owner groups, strengthening cultural connection and respect. Joel works with our Indigenous Support Specialists to support Indigenous employees entering BHP, is a role model and a beacon of success, leadership and quiet, impactful mentorship.

    Jumeka Saunders, Nipapanha Community Energy Liaison, Nipapanha Community Aboriginal Corporation

    Jumeka Saunders is an emerging Aboriginal energy leader from the Nipapanha community on Adnyamathanha Country in the northern Flinders Ranges, roughly 600 km north of Adelaide. Nipapanha sits at the outer edge of the National Electricity Market, supplied by a single 33 kV line from Copley, and has lived with repeated extended outages - including seven days without power after a storm destroyed 19 transmission towers in October 2024. Rather than wait for change, Jumeka went looking for it.

    In 2025 Jumeka completed the PowerMakers clean-energy training program with the First Nations Clean Energy Network in the Northern Territory, visited the Marlinja Community's microgrid, and worked with AGL and SA Power Networks to conduct an electricity meter audit across Nipapanha. She was awarded the Kelvin Trimpler Scholarship to lead a pilot community Energy Working Group building local energy literacy and supporting Nipapanha's path toward a community-owned solar microgrid.

    Find out more about Jumeka's journey, learning about clean energy and how it can help her community achieve energy security:  Watch the video

  • Acknowledging outstanding excellence or innovation in community engagement, resulting in positive outcomes, or collaborating effectively with others to realise a vision that brings opportunity and transformational change.

    Energy finalists

    AGL Energy
    Project/Program: Point Pearce Community Solar and Battery Project

    The Point Pearce Community Solar and Battery Project is a community-led initiative delivered through a partnership between AGL and the Point Pearce Aboriginal Corporation (PPAC), Narungga Country in South Australia.

    The project was in response to community concerns about rising electricity costs and energy reliability and was shaped through ongoing engagement with PPAC and the local residents. AGL worked alongside the community to co-design a model reflecting local priorities.  The solar and battery systems will be owned and maintained by the community.

    This is a practical example of how renewable energy generation and battery storage projects can create lasting economic and community benefits when developed in partnership with First Nations communities.

    Santos
    Project/Program: Santos Indigenous Advisory Panel

    Santos’ Indigenous Advisory Panel (IAP) was established in 2023 in response to feedback from Traditional Owners on the value of long-term engagement. Under a formal charter the IAP, chaired by the Santos CEO, seeks to strengthen Indigenous participation across the company’s operations and ensure that the voices of Traditional Owners meaningfully inform the Indigenous Participation Plan.

    This model enables Santos to incorporate lived experience and local knowledge into policies, programs and operational procedures. The panel’s work has led to tangible initiatives designed to improve Indigenous participation, including new employment pathways, recruitment programs, mentoring initiatives and expanded early career opportunities. Under the guidance of the IAP, Santos has achieved significant uplifts across key cultural heritage, employment and procurement metrics.

    ShineHub
    Project/Program: ShineHub and Mitcham Council Community Energy Program

    ShineHub and the City of Mitcham’s Community Renewables Program is transforming South Australia’s energy future – one household at a time. Launched in 2022 as an Australia-first council-led initiative, this pioneering partnership removes upfront cost – the biggest barrier to clean energy. Through community bulk buys, residents and businesses access high-quality solar panels, home batteries and a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) with no money down – making renewables accessible, affordable and practical.

    ShineHub and Mitcham have shown that community-driven renewable energy works, with local government and industry working together to deliver real cost-of-living relief, emissions cuts and energy security.

    Resources finalists

    Alliance Resources
    Project/Program: A tri-partite Community Meal Support Program in Kimba

    The Kimba Community Meal Support Program is a collaborative community initiative providing free, nutritious frozen meals to people experiencing hardship across the Kimba district. The program was developed through a partnership between Alliance Resources, FareShare and Harvest Christian Centre, and supported by the District Council of Kimba. It combines FareShare's meal production, Alliance's local cold storage facilities, and Harvest Christian Centre's community networks to deliver practical, dignified support where it is needed most.

    Meals are distributed through trusted local organisations, including Harvest Christian Centre, Kimba Area School and Our Town community hub, ensuring support reaches individuals and families facing financial, physical, emotional or mental hardship.

    BHP
    Project/Program: A Pathway to Prosperity: Traditional Owners leading mining on their own lands

    On the traditional lands of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara (AMY) People in remote north-western South Australia, employment opportunities can be limited.

    The award of a $60 million, five-year contract for mining services at BHP’s Prominent Hill mine represents a significant milestone for community. AMY Nominees, trading as Anangu Mining wholly owned by the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Corporation, will lead Run of Mine (ROM) rehandle services on AMY traditional lands.

    The contract reflects years of partnership, capability building, and shared commitment between AMY Nominees, Thiess, and BHP. The outcome creates meaningful employment, strengthens local capability, and opens new pathways for future generations of AMY people.

    Roxby Downs Community Hub
    Project/Program: Roxby Downs Community Hub Men's Health Week Initiative

    Led by the Healthy Environs-managed Roxby Downs Community Hub, the Men’s Health Week Initiative is a collaborative, community program made possible through BHP’s social investment in the Hub. The initiative uses trusted community settings to encourage conversations about men’s physical and mental wellbeing, bringing together sporting organisations, healthcare providers, SAPOL, schools, industry health teams and wellbeing partners to promote prevention, reduce stigma and strengthen community connection.

    By taking health promotion into places where men already gather, the Hub has established a sustainable annual initiative that demonstrates how social investment and local collaboration can improve wellbeing in a remote mining community.

  • Acknowledging outstanding achievement in delivering positive environmental results.

    Energy finalists

    Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG)
    Project/Program:     From off-cut to resource: closing the loop on PE pipe and fittings recycling

    High-density polyethylene (PE) pipe off-cuts and fittings from gas construction projects were historically sent to landfill, with no viable recovery pathway. Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) partnered with their Vinidex to change this, building a closed-loop recycling program that diverts pipe off-cuts from landfill and returns the material to Vinidex's manufacturing lifecycle.

    Vinidex collects unused off-cuts from project sites and supplier yards, then processes and pelletises them into new pipe products such as Draincoil, Twin Wall Stormflo Drainage and Rural PE. This reduces reliance on virgin resin without compromising quality.

    The program has diverted around 20 tonnes of polyethylene to date, a figure understood to be conservative, and it is embedded, repeatable and scalable across the industry.

    Delorean Corporation
    Project/Program: Delorean SA1 Salisbury - Australia's first mains-grade biomethane and biogenic CO2 project

    Every year, Adelaide sends tens of thousands of tonnes of organic waste to landfill, where it breaks down and releases methane. Delorean Corporation's SA1 Salisbury project turns that waste into mains-grade renewable gas injected directly into the gas network,  and into food-grade biogenic CO₂ for industrial use. This is the first facility of its kind in Australia.

    Over its 25-year life, SA1 will abate an estimated 3.7 million tonnes of CO₂-e, while returning nutrient-rich biofertiliser to South Australian farms. This is a replicable model to build the next generation of facilities and move biomethane from demonstration technology into one of the country's next major renewable energy resources.

    Resources finalists

    Hillgrove Resources (now known as Kantra Copper)
    Project/Program: Kanmantoo Grassy Woodland Restoration Project and Habitat Corridor Initiative

    The Kanmantoo Grassy Woodland Restoration Project is a landmark partnership restoring 161 hectares of degraded grazing land and enhancing 9 hectares of River Red Gum habitat near the Kanmantoo Copper Mine. The partnership is led by Kantra Copper, Second Nature Conservancy, adjoining landholders and the Kanmantoo–Callington community.

    The project is rebuilding critically endangered grassy woodland and creating a permanently protected biodiversity corridor across the Kanmantoo-Callington landscape. The complementary habitat corridor initiative strengthens this impact by linking restoration sites with threatened-bird habitat, ephemeral ponds, environmental offset plantings and remnant woodland.

    Together, these efforts are transforming historically cleared land into a connected, resilient habitat network that reflects community priorities, and demonstrating how industry and community can convert environmental obligations into a lasting regional legacy.

    Illuka Resources
    Project/Program: Progressive rehabilitation at Jacinth-Ambrosia

    Iluka’s Jacinth-Ambrosia operation has demonstrated that progressive mine rehabilitation can be delivered at scale in a remote, semi-arid environment.

    The program combines landform reconstruction, soil replacement, local provenance seed collection, drone seeding, infill planting, long-term photo point monitoring and independent Landscape Function Analysis, turning previously mined areas into stable, vegetated landforms that are progressing toward self-sustaining ecosystem function.

    Through collaboration with the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation, Traditional Owner involvement in seed collection and cultural monitoring helps ensure restoration is grounded in care for Country. The result is a measurable, evidence-based rehabilitation model that reduces closure liability and creates a lasting environmental legacy.

    Renascor Resources
    Project/Program: Renascor Resources Hydrofluoric Acid-Free Graphite Purification Project

    The technologies used to produce battery-grade purified spherical graphite (PSG) are developed overwhelmingly in China and do not necessarily translate easily or economically into more heavily regulated Western operating environments.

    Renascor Resources is developing and demonstrating an integrated HF-free graphite purification process. By eliminating hydrofluoric acid (HF) and incorporating reagent recovery, advanced water treatment and water recycling, Renascor is demonstrating a process designed to deliver both improved environmental performance and commercial competitiveness, showing that cleaner processing need not be a commercial compromise.

    More efficient process design has reduced environmental impacts while helping establish a competitive battery material supply chain, supporting sovereign critical minerals capability and positioning South Australia as a leader in responsible, value-added battery materials manufacturing.

  • Acknowledging effective development and implementation of innovative solutions to identified work health and safety issues, including mental health, inclusion and wellbeing.

    Energy category finalists

    Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy
    Project/Program: Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy Economic Participation Strategy

    Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy has provided the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) with a comprehensive assessment of First Nations economic participation opportunities across South Australia's energy and mining sectors.

    Through internal consultation with DEM staff, industry surveys and interviews, desktop research, and analysis of existing support services, the project identified employment and business opportunities, examined barriers to participation, and highlighted practical actions for industry and government.

    The resulting recommendations informed DEM's efforts to influence sector-wide change, strengthen engagement with First Nations communities, and support more inclusive economic and employment outcomes.

    Santos
    Project/Program: Eliminating line-of-fire hazards through design

    Santos’ Cooper Basin drilling and completions team identified an opportunity to eliminate a critical line-of-fire hazard conventionally managed through procedures. Working with local manufacturer Redback Drilling Tools, the traditional wellhead bracing system was redesigned to support the casing spool directly, eliminating the need to cut and remove the conductor pipe during installation of a collar.

    This innovation removes personnel from a high-risk work scope, reduces the potential for further subsidence, minimises civil works, and shortens installation time. The new brace combines a compact footprint with a 200-tonne load capacity, making it a unique solution within Australia.

    In addition to safety benefits, the design delivers significant cost savings through reduced materials, labour and site activities. The solution is scalable across Santos assets and the broader oil and gas industry.

    Resources finalists

    BHP
    Project/Program: Changing the chemistry of safety: eliminating xanthate without compromising performance

    For decades, xanthates have been accepted as the industry-standard flotation collector for sulfide flotation. The Carrapateena Metallurgy team, working collaboratively with reagent supplier InterChem, identified, tested and successfully implemented an alternative flotation collector that improved metallurgical performance while eliminating one of the operation’s most hazardous chemicals.

    The transition removed a spontaneously combusting chemical (Class 4.2 Dangerous Goods) from the HydroFloat coarse flotation circuit, eliminating critical fire, explosion and chemical exposure hazards associated with its transport, storage, handling and use.

    The project demonstrates how innovation, technical excellence and a commitment to the hierarchy of controls can fundamentally improve process safety. It has established a practical model for safer processing that has potential to influence future reagent selection across BHP and global mining industry.

    BHP
    Project/Program: Drop Board Regulator

    The modular Drop Board Regulator initiative is a step-change safety innovation that transformed how underground ventilation regulators are constructed at BHP’s Olympic Dam mine. Historically, regulator installations relied on contractor-led construction involving crane lifts in confined spaces, work at height in baskets without crush protection, heavy manual handling and hot works, exposing workers to multiple critical risks.

    The project introduced a lightweight, modular regulator system that can be safely constructed by BHP service crews using standard equipment and manageable components. The team developed a practical solution that eliminates significant risk exposures while improving constructability and reliability, resulting in a safer standard of work, reduced installation times and improved operational flexibility through the removal of contractor dependency.

    BHP
    Project/Program: Live Work Elimination

    The Live Work Elimination (ELW) Brake Bleeding Initiative was developed to remove maintenance personnel from high-risk live work activities associated with brake bleeding on underground mobile equipment at Olympic Dam. Historically, technicians were required to work within the footprint of running Epiroc trucks and Caterpillar loaders while conducting service and park brake bleeding activities. This exposed workers to potential machine movement, uncontrolled energies and represented a recurring live work task with significant risk exposure.

    Through collaboration between BHP, Epiroc, Caterpillar, Cavpower, frontline maintenance crews and engineering partners, remote brake bleeding systems were designed and implemented for both fleets. These tools allow maintenance personnel to perform brake bleeding activities from 15 metres away from running machinery, eliminating the need to enter the machine footprint during live work activities.

    The initiative demonstrates how frontline-led innovation, strong partnerships and engineering controls can eliminate risk while improving maintenance standardisation, reliability and workforce wellbeing.

  • Acknowledging a project or program that has enhanced efficiency, productivity, or competitiveness through implemented or near-commercialised innovation. 

    Energy finalists

    Amplitude Energy
    Project/Program: Orbost Gas Processing Plant: transformational productivity through targeted improvements

    When South Australian-headquartered Amplitude Energy assumed operatorship of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant (OGPP) in 2023, it inherited one of Australia's most challenging gas processing assets. Despite a design capacity of 68 TJ/d, the plant was producing just 47 TJ/d on average and was constrained by recurring fouling, foaming, unplanned outages and intensive maintenance requirements.

    Through a targeted productivity improvement program focused on eliminating bottlenecks, increasing reliability and unlocking latent capacity, Amplitude Energy transformed the facility into a high-performing asset. Just three years later, OGPP is consistently operating at and beyond its original design capacity, achieving record production of 75 TJ/d, reducing downtime by more than two-thirds and delivering significantly more domestic gas supply to Australia's east coast energy market.

    Santos
    Project/Program: Autonomous production optimisation in the Cooper Basin

    In South Australia's Cooper Basin, a mature gas province, Santos has built and deployed an autonomous system that is changing how an ageing field is run.

    The system provides a live digital model of the whole basin, from reservoir to plant, It continuously finds where production can be lifted or protected, predicts problems before they cause a loss, and adjusts hundreds of wells automatically, around the clock. In 2025 it was responsible for roughly 6% of the basin's production, cut running costs while beating its savings target, and tripled the optimisation opportunities engineers act on each year.

    By curbing the natural decline of an ageing field, it helps keep South Australian gas flowing and the basin economic for longer. Developed for the Cooper Basin and proven at full scale across around 1,000 wells, it is now Santos' standard way of operating, and points the way for mature fields everywhere.

    Venergy Solar
    Project/Program: Unlocking rooftop solar for embedded-network communities

    More than 1.5 million Australians live behind embedded electricity networks, where individual rooftop solar has long been considered financially impossible as conventional grid-protection hardware costs about $5,500 per home. Venergy Solar, an Adelaide-headquartered renewable energy engineering company, re-engineered the problem, using each community’s existing fibre internet network and Power Line Communication to deliver utility-grade network protection at roughly one-tenth of that cost.

    Deployed in partnership with Stockland (ASX: SGP) across four lifestyle communities, the model has 1,120 homes (4.4 MW) under contract, with 439 homes (1.72 MW) installed, commissioned and generating by June 2026. Audited results show average first-year household savings of $1,528, payback inside three years, and protection infrastructure engineered down from $6.16 million to $615,400, a 90% reduction.

    The South Australian-designed blueprint is already replicating with Ingenia Communities Group (ASX: INA) commencing its Sunbury development in July 2026.

    Resources finalists

    BHP
    Project/Program: Prominent Hill Traffic Control

    Prominent Hill has implemented traffic control to transform autonomous loading from a single loader process into a connected, multi-loader production system. Previously, only one loader could operate within an automated area, and a level could not be divided into separate sections and remotely operated at the same time.

    Traffic Control, supported by major underground network upgrades, now allows multiple loaders to share production infrastructure while maintaining safe separation. Operational records show average tonnes increasing by 53% and median tonnes by 50%. In the first measured days, combined productivity increased from 176.5 tonnes per hour to 222.3–273.2 tonnes per hour. The capability also supports one operator supervising multiple loaders, improves coverage of unplanned leave, makes better use of experienced personnel and increases the rate at which material is presented to trucks.

    This is a repeatable operating model for future underground production areas.

    Hillgrove Resources (now known as Kantra Copper)
    Project/Program: Kanmantoo Grade Control: combining AI with traditional geological practices

    The development of the Kanmantoo Underground Copper Mine provided an opportunity to rethink how geological information is collected and used. Kantra Copper developed an innovative grade-control system that combines traditional geological expertise with rapid onsite analysis, spectral scanning and artificial intelligence to estimate copper grades in near real time.

    For high-priority drill-core samples, the system cuts turnaround times from four to twelve weeks to less than 12 hours, enabling material-classification decisions within an hour. Developed in partnership with Plotlogic, it delivers faster, more consistent results while reducing testing costs by around $30,000 per drill rig each month.

    By giving mining teams quicker, more reliable information, the system reduces geological risk, improves production decisions and helps maximise the value recovered from the Kanmantoo copper resource.

    Maxmine
    Project/Program: Retiring the weighbridge: trusted real-time payload data delivering an 8% productivity gain

    Haul trucks are the largest cost driver at any surface coal mine. At one Tier 1 operation in South Africa, every truck sent to the weighbridge lost over two productive hours and it was the only way the site could confirm whether its existing dispatch system's reported payloads were real.

    MaxMine, an Adelaide-headquartered fleet management and mining performance company, replaced the inefficient system with a proprietary payload algorithm and automated online strut-health monitoring, verifying every load on every truck continuously, without leaving the circuit. For the first time the mine trusted its payload data, and lifted average payloads from 93% of target to a sustained 101%. Together, bypassing the weighbridge and raising payload returned 812 truck operating hours a month, contributed to an 8% increase in total material moved, and created value the operation puts above R100 million a year (approximately AUD8.5M).