It’s safe to say the engineering genes run in Jack’s family.
His dad was an engineer, his brother is an engineer, and a childhood spent living off-grid helped him understand energy as a finite resource from a young age.
As a problem solver by nature, it’s easy to see how he found his groove in the industry. And the exciting part? He’s just getting started.
This is Jack’s Flow Power story.
(Note: since filming his career video, Jack has progressed into the role of Senior Energy Solutions Engineer.)
Finding his feet
From agriculture to aeronautics, Jack’s engineering experience has spanned multiple industries, but he found himself wishing he could contribute to something bigger.
“I always had this feeling that I needed to be doing something innovative and exciting, to make a contribution. I wanted to work in the energy industry and more specifically, renewables and the energy transition.”
It was a pivot into the solar industry that sparked the evolution of Jack’s engineering career.
“Coming from a mechanical background, I knew the basics, but I learned a lot about electrical systems in that solar role. It was a good incubating space, but I didn’t feel as if I was able to innovate, and that’s really a key driver for me.”
Exposure to a new energy ecosystem
With a foot in the door of the energy industry, Jack was forging a new path for himself. But he was still seeking challenges to problem-solve, and an avenue to drive real change.
It wasn’t until a summer spent driving back and forth from Melbourne to his home in NSW – with nothing but Renew Economy’s Energy Insiders podcast to pass the time – that Jack got an insight into how he could make the change he’d been seeking.
It was this podcast where he first heard Matthew van der Linden speaking about Flow Power, and how he’s on a mission to reshape the way Australia uses electricity.
“He talked about this problem of trying to change people’s behaviour and linking that with the market. It was so unique to gain this insight into the market perspective of energy. There’s this whole ecosystem of energy that I think people are only peripherally exposed to.”
Jack was curious to learn more. Enough so, when a job opening at Flow Power crossed his path, he couldn’t pass up the chance to explore the opportunity further.
A team of real forward-thinkers
Jack started at Flow Power in 2021 as part of the hardware team, quickly immersing himself in the many facets of the business.
“I distinctly remember one of the first meetings I had with the team. We were going through ideas for the kWatch controller and talking about how we’d go about integrating it. And at that point, I thought… wow, this is an innovative place where people really think outside of the box. This is a place where we’re making solutions for people, not just selling them a pre-defined product.”
Inspired by the fast-paced environment, space for innovation, and opportunity to make a genuine impact with his work, Jack found his niche.
“I love being able to solve these problems that aren’t just about commercial interest but have an ethical undercurrent. We’re in this super unique time in the history of energy, where the cheapest solution can also be the right solution, for the planet and for businesses, if you choose to be a little more sophisticated.”
Paving the way for smart solutions
Jack’s enthusiasm and energy expertise have helped him make his mark at Flow Power, offering valuable contributions to a host of different projects.
“All the demand response projects have been awesome learning experiences; finding flexible loads and how we can figure out a control strategy for them. But my favourite would be the City of Adelaide project.
We got to a point where we knew we could make it work – but we could also make it better, and I got to spearhead that effort. The results from that are something we’ll continue to explore, and it’s been so rewarding creating something that I feel is truly innovative.”
Looking ahead to an electrified future
So, what’s on the cards for Jack’s career moving forwards?
“I just want to keep developing. The electrification of both transport and industrial processes needs to be done. It’s still poorly understood how to best do both, and we have the issue of people doing so on flat rate tariffs with no pass through to the market or the network. That kind of disconnect is going to pose huge challenges to society.
I hope to be a source of knowledge in how to electrify your fleets, your industrial processes, and do it in a way that offers better cost outcomes because you’re taking advantage of cheap and abundant renewable energy. And to do it in a way that the network can support.”
Jack’s advice for the next generation of engineers
Momentum continues to build in Australia’s renewable transition – and Jack’s got some words of advice for anyone considering getting involved.
“We’re about to go through the most fundamental shift of the energy industry that we have ever had. And we need as many clever, innovative, driven and passionate people as we can get if we want to do that in a way that is going to be effective.
So, if you have an interest in the industry, it’s such a great opportunity to contribute to something that’s bigger than yourself. Pick a company that is not just commercially driven, but ethically driven as well, and has a greater mission to help support the transition.”
Ready to play your part in accelerating the transition?
Jack and our expert Engineering & Advisory team are here to help.
From on-site assessments to full-scale energy strategy and utility-scale renewable development projects, we’ll work with you to understand your organisation, and develop specialised solutions to suit your business’s needs.
