How an interest in sustainability led to a career in the renewable gas sector

Al Hanoof Al Maamari was always planning a career in energy, but her ambition to join the sector has evolved to a role as a renewable gas engineer. 

Originally from Oman, Al Hanoof came to Australia after securing a scholarship for an honours degree in chemical engineering, graduating from RMIT University with first class honours at the end of 2021. 

Al Hanoof said that from when she first decided to study chemical engineering, she always though she would join the energy industry. 

“The oil, gas and broader energy sectors are shifting to reduce carbon emissions, and these changes will result in new career options and opportunities. 

“Joining Jemena as a graduate in the Renewable Gas team has been amazing for developing my understanding of renewable energy and the Australian gas market more broadly. Acquiring these experiences and skills early on will be a tremendous advantage for my future career options,” she said.

Al Hanoof said research and reaching out to industry leaders helped steer her towards a role working towards Australia’s energy transition.

“At the beginning of 2020, I was exploring sectors I wanted to join after graduation. Because of my interest in sustainability, I came across the energy transition area through LinkedIn posts. I started following people who posted about it because I was curious to learn more and I started researching global news about countries announcing billions of dollars of investments and huge projects in this space.

“Before starting my honours year, I reached out to a senior leader working in the renewable energy sector, asking about research and development required for green hydrogen projects. His response indicated development of carbon capture, synthetic fuels, and hydrogen production by electrolysis would be critical, so I actively sought out any learning opportunities for these areas and included them in my university assignments.”

As a graduate at Jemena, Al Hanoof takes part in a development program which includes workshops and projects aimed at developing broad corporate and industry knowledge.

“The graduate program has been a great learning experience so far. My day-to-day role is varied, which is one of the things I really like about it because there is always something new to learn. Everyone is welcoming and happy to help and share their experiences with me.

“The energy transition requires looking at a problem from all the aspects, including commercially, technically, environmentally, socially and politically. My favourite part of my role is the fact I’m contributing to a low-carbon future and adding value to the energy transition – I aspire to be a future leader in this sector,” she said.

Al Hanoof thinks renewable gas will have an important role to play in the transition to net-zero.

“Renewable gas has the capability to support the decarbonisation of Australia’s energy system by lowering emissions of greenhouse gases and reducing waste at a lower cost when coupled with sectors like transportation, manufacturing, and electricity. 

“Blending renewable gas with natural gas is a fantastic option and is already being supplied with a minimal impact on customers. Renewable gas can be stored in the pipeline for a long duration at a low cost, providing customers with a reliable, greener energy option.”

Al Hanoof said Jemena’s renewable gas team is working hard to prepare its gas network for a net zero future.

“We believe that the mix of fuels will play an essential role as industry transitions to more renewable energy sources. This year and next, the focus is on finding opportunities and developing business cases for renewable gas projects, specifically the injection of biomethane for the short term and green hydrogen for the long term.

“Ultimately, the objective of the entire team is to accelerate the competitive supply of renewable gas products into our gas network to enable net-zero by 2050, collaborating with industry and government along the way. I’m excited to be playing my part in Australia’s energy transition,” she concluded.