Ehsan Haque, Senior Project Engineer
Want to play your part in Australia’s energy transformation?
Ehsan’s future is Energy Queensland
As our Project Development Manager, Ehsan Haque’s strategic vision and operational expertise have seen him lead large-scale projects that are making a massive contribution to Australia’s energy future. With plenty more work to do before achieving the target of 80% renewable energy by 2032, Ehsan’s more committed than ever to making it happen.
Ambition achieved
Ehsan Haque always wanted to be part of the renewable revolution. When he graduated from university in 2012, he even based his final engineering thesis on renewables (which earned him a distinction - impressive!). Even in the early days of his career, when other priorities had to take precedence, every decision he made was leading him towards this purpose.
“As a new graduate, career development had to take top priority. So, for many years, I worked in oil, gas and mining because that’s where the growth was. I did lots of travelling for project work in the Middle East, but as the years went by and I started a family, travelling so much was no longer sustainable.
“One of my friends worked for Yurika and asked me if I wanted to give it a try. Two months later, I was part of Yurika. The fact that it falls under the Energy Queensland banner was even better. If I had stayed with my previous employer, I would have had to travel overseas for a project, so it really came at the right time.”
Soon after joining us as a Project Engineer, Ehsan began to understand just how much progress was being made at Energy Queensland, and how rewarding it felt to watch it happen from the frontline.
“There’s so many exciting projects happening across the business. And all of them are contributing to the biggest project of all - the renewable energy transition.
"Ten years from now, we’re aiming that over 80% of our electricity will come from renewables. Today, we’re building substations and wind and solar farms to make it possible. And I’ll be able to say, ‘I was part of Queensland’s renewable revolution."
Want to play your part in Queensland’s renewable energy transition? Your future is Energy Queensland
Growing where you are
Ehsan’s part in this pivotal journey sees him working collaboratively with project managers, design engineers and site construction engineers to make sure everything runs smoothly. In just over two years with Yurika, he’s managed four projects from start to finish - from a wind farm in south-east Queensland to a solar farm in regional Victoria.
“I did a bit of travelling in the last year, but only a day or two maximum. Energy Queensland recognises that I have a young family, and they support me to stay home with them. My days typically involve procurement, compliance and governance work, as well as managing clients, which can all be done remotely.”
Unlike Ehsan’s previous roles, he loves that staying put doesn’t mean sacrificing his career growth. He’s constantly putting his hand up for new opportunities that expand his expertise, and he’s recently completed leadership training and negotiation, safety and defence courses, to name a few.
“There’s no limit to what you can learn within Energy Queensland. Whatever you want to do with your career, the company will help you get there. I’ve seen people enter the organisation in an admin role and work their way up to becoming a Project Manager. There’s so many opportunities to explore in all of our businesses.”
Energising the future
As Queensland undergoes one of the largest electricity sector transformations in history, it's one that won’t be possible without true collaboration and contribution. That means bringing together the best resources and minds in this industry - it's one of the key reasons why Energy Queensland was formed in 2016.
Ehsan has noticed the steady climb in the past two to three years as state and federal governments have worked to make more of our energy grid supported by renewables. He knows there’s a lot more work to come for us to achieve our intended future of 80% renewable energy usage by 2032.
“There will be challenges, but the reason I’m here is to solve problems. For an organisation that’s been in the market for less than 10 years, we’ve done a phenomenal job in terms of delivering projects - from small to large. As we look towards that net-zero future, we’re going to see more projects coming in and more problem solving. For me, that means I get to be part of the journey and I get to grow myself as well. It’s a win-win!”
As for Ehsan’s goals for the future? Well, it’s the same one he had at the start of his career in energy: to play a role in the renewable revolution. With the support of his peers and Energy Queensland, he’s confident it’s one we’ll achieve together.
“When I think about what I want to achieve in my career, I want to be able to say that I was involved in making the energy transition happen in Australia. Working here allows me to be a part of that journey. We’re at the forefront of making this change happen, so for anyone who wants to play their part, come join a great company with a strong future ahead of it.”
