Leading Women in Power Engineering Highlight Renewable Integration in WA Microgrids
October 3, 2023 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
- Abstract: In 2021 Alinga Energy Consulting was awarded a grant through the Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund – Microgrids to conduct energy feasibility studies for 5 Indigenous communities in Western Australia. Ruby Heard, electrical engineer and director of Alinga Energy Consulting, will present a case study on integrating renewable energy into an isolated, diesel powered network. The study modelled 3 options for incorporating solar PV and battery storage – household rooftop solar, community owned centralised assets and utility owned centralised assets. Ruby will share results of the techno-economic analysis as well as community perspectives and benefits.
- Speaker: Ruby Heard is an electrical engineer from Melbourne, now based in Rockhampton Qld. She completed her undergraduate degree at Victoria University in 2010. Ruby then went on to be a building services engineer for Arup, designing electrical and lighting systems for local buildings such as 888 Collins St, Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport and Mitcham Train Station as well as international projects including the Louvre in France. Ruby transferred to the Arup San Francisco office in 2015 to pursue a greater focus on renewable energy where she started to specialise in complex solar arrays and microgrids working predominantly with Google. She was awarded an Emerging Leader in Sustainability recognition by the Design Futures Council in 2017. In early 2018 Ruby left Arup to volunteer in Ethiopia for 6 months through Engineers Without Borders, to support the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) energy team to design and install solar mini-grids while training refugee cooperatives as solar technicians. In November 2018 Ruby returned to Australia and formed Alinga Energy Consulting to continue her work in the renewable energy and microgrid space with a focus on off-grid applications, remote Indigenous communities and islands. Ruby was awarded Young Engineer of the Year Victoria by Engineers Australia in 2019 and featured in EA’s centenary celebration of 100 engineers making a difference.
