Entura to support trade mission in China as strategic infrastructure brains trust

Tasmanian-based energy consulting firm Entura will accompany the Tasmanian Premier as well as local state-government representatives on a trade mission to China. 

Entura is a homegrown expert in specialist power and water, built out of Hydro Tasmania’s 100-year experience as an owner and operator of hydro-electric dams and other sources of clean energy. Since its first project brought energy to the entire Tasmanian state in 1916, Hydro Tasmania has morphed and expanded across the energy sector.  

The company’s consulting arm, Entura, is now considered one of Australia’s premier energy consultancies, creating a sustainable future through better power and water solutions. Entura delivers services derived from their own experience of operating facilities including strategy, planning, design and construction through to operation, maintenance, risk management and training solutions.

Entura has worked on some of the Asia Pacific’s largest sustainable infrastructure projects including White Rock Wind Farm, Cook Island’s hybrid renewables power system, and Kuala Lumpur’s flood detection and mitigation systems. The firm has consulted on hydropower, solar, wind and battery storage projects in over 30 countries including Pacific Island nations, PNG, Nepal and South Africa. 

Experts from the consulting firm will travel alongside Will Hodgman, Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Trade and other senior public officials later this month. The China mission hopes to establish greater trade ties with Australia’s largest trading partner and open up new opportunities in global markets for Tasmanian businesses.

Currently, Tasmanian exports are worth a total of $3.5 billion annually to the state’s economy, having jumped up a stunning 36% in the past year alone. Singling out China, trade has grown by over 58.5% to $430 million as of March this year.

China is also home to the world’s largest hydro-power dam and has set the world stage for renewable energy. Hydro is China’s second largest source of power after coal, and the country has been taking large steps away from fossil fuels in the past years. This energy transition presents significant growth opportunities for Entura.

Tammy Chu, the Managing Director of the consultancy believes that the firm can export its expertise to emerging markets throughout the region as well as demonstrate its abilities locally. “Entura is acting as a Tasmanian brains trust for strategic infrastructure projects,” she said.

“As a result we are growing, and growing with us is the number of smart jobs we provide in our home state of Tasmania, as well as our staff in other locations across Australia and in India,” she said. “One example of this is Entura’s role as the owner’s engineer on Tasmania’s Cattle Hill Wind Farm, which is being developed by Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind.” 

The trade mission will present the firm with an opportunity to visit Goldwind’s wind turbine factory in Beijing and build valuable relationships with potential investors along the way. “We have developed successful partnerships with Chinese companies which will deliver projects in Australia, internationally, and locally here in Tasmania,” Chu said.

“As well, we are enabling investment of major Chinese companies in Tasmania’s continued renewable energy development. These investments contribute to Tasmania’s vision of becoming the renewable energy Battery of the Nation. We appreciate the support of the Tasmanian Government in pursuing stronger relationships with China.”