Simon Wright

Dr Simon Wright believes that the explosive growth in renewable energy provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for mining communities to transition out of fossil fuels, while generating meaningful and lasting employment and increasing the economic resilience of regional centres. 

As both an academic and practitioner, Simon researches opportunities in regional and remote Australia for the low carbon economy, working with all levels of government, industry and universities as they move swiftly to reduce their carbon emissions. A primary focus of Simon’s work is to ensure that regional communities derive enduring benefit from the rapid development of renewable energy assets and low carbon enterprise precincts in their backyards.

With almost 20 years of sustainability experience in energy, waste, and water across a broad array of industry sectors ranging from mining, food and agriculture, and government, Simon is keen to ensure that Australia leads the way in the transition to a sustainable future and that the regions share equitably in the spoils of this growth opportunity. Simon lives in beautiful Orange in the Central West of New South Wales and works part-time as a Research Principal in the Energy Futures Team at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney.

For the past 13 years, Simon has also been the Director of Simply Sustainable, a consultancy working with clients to realise the low carbon transition across regional New South Wales. Simon holds PhD in Sustainable Futures from the University of Technology Sydney, an MBA in Sustainability from Nottingham University (UK), and an MA in Modern Languages and Business from the University of Edinburgh.