2023 Thought Leaders: Russell Palmer

Can you discuss the ongoing impact of the skills shortages on your industry, and solutions being implemented in 2023?

There are various reasons for the engineering skills shortage in Australia, ranging from the aging population entering their retirement stage, to the rapid advancement and prevalent use of technology today. The skills shortages we are currently facing in the industry are an unfortunate and undesirable outcome; however, Yokogawa have long-term solutions to combat this.

One of the solutions we are, and have been, implementing is our graduates program. We recognise the importance of developing young minds to becoming the next generation of managers, operators and engineers, in a world where sustainability and corporate social practices become the forefront of every industry.

Yokogawa is also paving the way for a future where industries will transition from industrial automation to industrial autonomy (IA2IA). Industrial autonomy will allow plant assets and operations to learn and adapt with minimal human interaction, allowing operators to perform higher-level optimisation tasks. This can be achieved through a range of smart manufacturing solutions and digital consultancy services, designed to help end users on their digital transformation journey towards autonomous operations.

What plans do you have in 2023 for an energy transition to renewables?

PXiSE (pronounced ‘pice’) Energy Solutions from Yokogawa provides next-generation grid control technology and is a vision for making the electrical grid work by managing unlimited renewables and distributing energy resources (DERs) whilst providing safe and reliable power. With decades of utility management, field engineering and software development skills, our grid control solution solves today’s problems and creates a technology roadmap for the future. PXiSE maximises the efficiency and production of energy generation from solar, wind and energy storage to deliver advanced control functionality and economic optimisation in real time.

We are also excited to be a part of the Australian Yuri Green Hydrogen Project, one of the world’s largest renewable hydrogen projects, as we have been selected as the Integrated Control Systems supplier for Engie. Our decades-long expertise in delivering leading-edge technological solutions to the energy industry was a key contributing factor when we were selected for this opportunity.

What are your carbon emission reduction goals for 2023?

A sustainable planet starts with us, and it must start now. Here at Yokogawa, we address social and environmental issues through strategies that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

We have set out three sustainability goals to achieve by the year 2050: achieve net-zero emissions, ensure the wellbeing of all and make a transition to a circular economy — ultimately making the world a better place for future generations. In order to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Yokogawa aims to achieve a 100% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions and enable the transition to affordable, reliable and sustainable forms of energy. We currently have a number of measuring instruments for renewable energy development and solutions for water environment improvement.

Yokogawa strongly encourages and promotes the use of CO₂-free energy and will make the switch to electric vehicles. Greenhouse gas emissions in all business activities will be reduced by increasing the ratio of cloud and consulting services, visualising the energy efficiency of each business and promoting energy conservation.

We continue to be ranked as a leading driver of social and environmental responsibility and strive to ensure a healthy and flourishing planet for the future.

What opportunities do you predict for the growth of your industry in 2023?

Over the last couple of years the world has changed drastically, and as we settle into the new normal of a post-pandemic world, the changing market dynamics, environmental and social challenges have revealed many new priorities and an updated business direction.

2022 saw a growing concern with the global energy crisis caused by a variety of factors such as the post-pandemic economic rebound. With rising energy prices and an urgent call for the transition to clean energy, I believe we will see an increase in more sustainable practices in many industries, as well as the promotion and usage of renewable energy.

Cybersecurity is another major area for growth in the near future. In a world where technology is evolving rapidly, as are cybersecurity threats, management of these threats is vital. There is an opportunity here to provide state-of-the-art solutions to risk management and enhance organisational resilience for long-term stability.

Yokogawa aims for a growing diversity within the company, and the industry itself is aiming for the same. It is shocking to see that in today’s society, where equality and diversity should be at the forefront of all industries, less than 15% of engineers are women. There is a major opportunity here for more representation and support of these women in order to resolve the issue of Australia’s growing demand for engineers.

Russell Palmer is the Managing Director of Yokogawa Australia & New Zealand and has been with Yokogawa Australia for 25 years. Russell has held roles from frontline engineering sales to Sales and Marketing Director — a position he held for 10 years. Russell’s focus is on collaborating with customers to make possible new solutions to the problems faced in industry.