Name
Thomas Friberg
Job title
Project Development Manager
Organisation
Zenith Int Pty Ltd
Speaker biography
Thomas Friberg is the Project Development Manager at Zenith Connected Energy, where he develops urban solar and battery microgrids that deliver reliable, load-adjacent power to communities and industry across Western Australia. Drawing on a background in engineering and large-scale transformation across the energy and industrial sectors, he brings a systems-level, delivery-focused approach to distributed energy infrastructure. Thomas is President of the Australian Institute of Energy National Board and Secretary of the World Energy Council Australia Member Committee. He is passionate about practical pathways to decarbonisation that reduce reliance on transmission networks while enabling sustainable growth.
Speaking At
Presentation title
Powering districts at the thin edge of the grid​
Presentation summary
Network constraints are increasingly delaying housing and industrial development across Western Australia, forcing a rethink of how and where electricity infrastructure is delivered. Drawing on first-hand experience working with developers at the thin edge of the grid, this presentation explores the transition from utility-scale batteries to commercial and industrial (C&I) solar-plus-storage systems, where installed $/kWh is a rapidly changing metric. It examines the rise of modular, mass-produced C&I-scale BESS and solar units, alongside the real cost and operational challenges of deploying grid-connected microgrids. Practical lessons are shared on how distributed energy is reshaping the grid, one site at a time.
