Energy giant Transgrid launches educational Discovery Hub

Committee 4 Wagga chairman Adam Drummond and Transgrid’s Rebecca Peel were among the first people to try the Discovery Hub’s kinetic phone recharging stations. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.

Transgrid has launched its Discovery Hub on Kincaid Street to help educate students, landowners, community members and business owners about its major projects.

Projects located in or around the Riverina including EnergyConnect, HumeLink, and VNI West, all have dedicated exhibitions on show and the hub also has spaces for community groups, a yarning circle for First Nations events, an electric vehicle charging station and a solar-powered Wi-Fi and mobile phone/device charging bench.

Transgrid CEO Brett Redman said Wagga Wagga was the ideal place to have the first-of-its-kind hub, as the city sits at the heart of many of its projects.

“This new hub, which is the only one of its kind on our vast network, will transform the way we engage with regional communities, as we plan and build the critical transmission infrastructure needed to support Australia’s clean energy transition,” he said.

“Transgrid is proud to open this new gateway to our organisation, cementing the Riverina’s critical role in enabling our renewable energy future and ensuring the local community seizes the many social and economic benefits it brings.

“This exciting new hub will provide fun and interactive educational experiences for school students, a permanent engagement location for landowners, and opportunities for local businesses to secure supply contracts, and quality facilities for use by community members and not-for-profit groups.

“I encourage everyone to make the most of this fantastic new community asset and visit the Transgrid Discovery Hub today.”

Throughout the hub, visitors can learn about the history of energy in the Riverina. Photos: Jarryd Rowley.

Several videos and screens help to educate visitors about the projects Transgrid is involved in.

Several spaces are available for the community and businesses to hold meetings.

The hub will also host several workshops throughout the year.

The hub is open throughout the week.

Committee 4 Wagga (C4W) chairman Adam Drummond said he and C4W had advocated for Transgrid’s Discovery Hub and the opportunity it granted community members to learn more about renewable energy.

“We’ve (C4W) always been big believers in clean energy and alternative energy coming to the regions,” Mr Drummond said.

“This hub in particular, is extremely important because it allows people that may be confused by major infrastructure projects that Transgrid are involved in, to come in and talk to someone who’s got all the answers to the questions that they’ve got.

“This is a very engaging and interactive resource for Wagga.

“If you can engage the youth, engage community members in learning about energy, then you’re already halfway there.

“The interactive screens that they’ve got in there explain information both in written form, but also little animations and things that they can drag around on screens. It’s just a really, really good interactive way to learn about the environment, clean energy and this massive project.”

The Transgrid Discovery Hub is at 27 Kincaid St, Wagga, across from the Pavilion Hotel.