The Team

Our team is experienced and passionate about transitioning to renewable energy – every hour of every day, everywhere.

Leadership Team

Michael Myer

Executive Chairman

Michael is a serial entrepreneur with venture capital experience in start-up ventures, venture capital and sustainable development. He has a passionate interest in bringing engineering and economic resources to projects to support our social and environmental challenges.

In recent years, Michael has been the leading practitioner of Conservation Sustainable Development in the country having developed “Sunrise at 1770” at Agnes Waters on the Great Barrier Reef. This development won the award for the Best Environmental Development in Queensland in 2007 (UDIA), the Best Environmental Development in Australia in 2008 (UDIA) and the Silver Medal for the Best Environmental Development in the world (FBICA) in 2009.

“In a world facing the existential threat of global warming, it is an honour to Chair a company and lead a team that can have such a profound impact on society’s race to deep decarbonization. Sunshine Hydro is such a company. Everyone in the company is consumed by a shared passion to make that difference real and lasting.” Michael Myer

Rick McElhinney

B.E(hon) / MIEAust

Chief Executive Officer and Director (CEO)

Rick is an experienced entrepreneur, angel investor, a recognised author and speaker. He is the founder of Founders Forum, Gold Coast Angels, Brisbane Angels and was awarded a Founding Fellow of the Australian Association of Angel Investors. His experience and interest in engineering and renewable energy provide background to his key skills in bringing start-ups to fruition through his business investment, financial management and mentoring. Rick was a shareholder and CFO in renewables energy company, Eco-kinetics, which grew from start-up to in excess of $100m in revenues prior to its sale to ASX listed, CBD Energy.

“If I have seen further,” Isaac Newton wrote in a 1675 letter to fellow scientist Robert Hooke, “it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Being part of Sunshine Hydro gives me the ability to see further into the delivery of green energy and green hydrogen than I ever could have imagined. The giants are the visionary founders of Sunshine Hydro and each member of the team who painstakingly deliver their vision. It is an honour to participate.” Rick McElhinney

Chris Baker

MIEAust / CPEng / RPEQ / APEC Engineer / Int PE (Aus)

Founder, Director and CTO

Chris is a civil and software engineer with a recent focus on electro-mobility and renewable energy integration. Past experience includes infrastructure projects such as construction planning of coal loader offshore works, detailed design of highway grade separated interchanges, design and systems analysis for highway design software used in 42 countries and design and construction of municipal facilities.

“The latest IPCC report is headlined as code red for humanity. For me, it’s been code red since 2016 when we started Sunshine Hydro. We need to reduce our carbon footprint, and at Sunshine Hydro we have found ways to solve the toughest problems we face as we bring in more renewable energy — we do that with good engineering and economics, and a dose of stubbornness and hard work. This seems to be catching and I am delighted that so many have joined with us in our shared vision. By working on this together we do have a chance of leaving a habitable world to our next generations.” Chris Baker

Dan Raymond

Dip. Civil Eng / B.Env Sc (AES) / Cert. Journalism / Cert. Group Trainer and Facilitator

Head of Project Development

Dan has over forty years experience in civil engineering, environmental engineering, sustainable infrastructure, environmental science, project management, team leadership, public consultation, negotiation, policy development, risk assessment and strategic planning in Australia and Internationally.

“As we struggle globally to move towards reduced emissions and to mitigate the future effects of a warming world, it can be difficult for individuals to know how to contribute. At Sunshine Hydro, we can actually do something meaningful and beneficial in a real way. Our projects can help change the world for everyone. This is my contribution.” Dan Raymond

Virpi Barrett

Director of Green Energy Commerce

Virpi has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector internationally and in Australia. Virpi’s career has been centred on energy trading and risk management while she has held senior leadership positions in retail, trading and advisory companies. In recent years, Virpi has established and headed the wholesale functions of Australia’s first community-owned renewable electricity retailer Enova Energy, achieving the highest ranking in Green Electricity Guide by Greenpeace 2022 (10+/10).

Team

Chris Evans

VP Sales and Business Development, AESOP

Chris studied finance, accounting, and computing at university. He has an interest in software development, Operations Research, and optimization. Chris has been involved in the design and rollout of enterprise-level software projects in the banking, insurance, energy, manufacturing, and mining sectors. He has worked for technology vendors IBM and H-P, and Silicon Valley firms such as BEA Systems Inc. Over the last 25 years, Chris has delivered complex operational and information technology projects involving application and systems integration. With his finance background, he ensures projects meet or exceed client return of investment criteria and risk is effectively managed.

Chris maintains a wealth of experience in building and supporting business growth including M&A, treasury, modelling, capital raising, financial control, stakeholder management, governance, risk & compliance and capital budgeting.

Chris is focused within Sunshine Hydro on developing end- to- end product sales. He has an in-depth understanding of enterprise software, licensing, and related service offerings for the mining services, buildtech, and fintech sectors.

Queenie Lacanau

B.Eng (Civil)

Design Engineer

Queenie is a Civil Engineer with a major in Environmental and Water and minor in construction. She continues to have a passion for the environment and the application of innovative solutions to achieve an improved quality of life for both society and the surrounding environment. She has a genuine passion for engineering and its role in enhancing the long-term sustainable impact on our planet. To bring this vision to fruition she has incorporated her knowledge and skills gained throughout her undergraduate degree and plans to continue to learn from the team at Sunshine Hydro.

“I am excited to be part of the Sunshine Hydro team and work alongside a team of people committed to making a difference. I firmly believe that as engineers (and people residing on this planet) it is our duty to make changes in the way we live, continually improve upon current practices, and minimise our negative impacts to our surrounding environments. I believe that this will allow us to preserve our home for future generations to enjoy. The innovative technology produced here at Sunshine Hydro is a further testament to that. The green revolution is here.” Queenie Lacanau

David Wolfenden

Dip Tech (Civil Eng) / B.Eng, Dip Mgt / FIE Aust / LGE / FIMEA

Director Site Identification and Analysis

David has over 45 years’ experience in public works engineering and management and has held positions of deputy engineer, shire engineer and director of engineering. He has held position of the General Manger for an Engineering and Civil Construction Group. David has broad experience across many industries including agricultural, land surveying, civil construction and manufacturing.

“What I like about Sunshine Hydro is that our technology and systems are focused upon producing commercial quantities of green electricity, green hydrogen and green oxygen.

I am enthusiastic for this opportunity to make a real difference to sustainable energy pathways.

Tim Cummings

B.Sc (Maths) / B.E (Chem) / GCBA

Principal Software Engineer

Tim is a software engineer, mathematician and chemical engineer. He consults on energy optimisation and has 25 years experience developing software for engineering applications including pinch analysis of energy flows in refineries. Recently, he successfully combined his skills in software development, accounting, business, logistics and maths for an energy trading and risk management project at Caltex Australia.

“Harnessing the wind and the sun has, for decades, driven my recreational sports of sailing, windsurfing and hang-gliding. Now I can capture that same energy in my work at Sunshine Hydro.” D Tim Cummings

Tony Howes

Chemical Engineer with over 20 years’ experience of university teaching, mentoring and research with energy themes, including a decade transforming a key first year thermodynamics course from a dry journey through Laws and Steam Tables into an introduction to energy and sustainability, and integrating python coding into the chemical engineering curriculum.

Sasith Koralagoda

M.Sc B.Sc (Hons Software Engineering)

Software Engineer

I’m a software engineer who has skills and experience in both software and hardware programming and I am passionate about developing innovative technical solutions for real world problems. I am devoted to constantly improving tools and infrastructure to maximize productivity, minimize system downtime and quickly respond to the changing needs of the real time businesses.

On a personal level, I spend time researching emerging technologies that aim to develop innovative technical solutions.

“I enjoy the opportunity Sunshine Hydro gives me to learn and advance my skill set whilst working with a great team of people. I get to work with leading edge technology such as AESOP and contribute to taking this next generation technology into the world. Most importantly, I am grateful to be a proud member of the Sunshine Hydro team because the company is doing an exceptional job of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and saving the world for the future.” Sasith Koralagoda

Robyn Emerson

Communications

Robyn is a communications specialist with more than 25 years’ experience spanning news and science journalism; internal communications; academic, corporate and political communications; community consultation; marketing; speechwriting; social media; websites and creative writing in organisations including the ABC, Griffith University, CS Energy and Brisbane City Council. Robyn works to promote understanding through high quality information and enjoys working in Sunshine Hydro’s visionary, multi-disciplinary team.

Craig Townsend

GIS Coordinator

Craig has over 25 years of experience working in NSW Local Government in Information Technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Working in Local Government, particularly in the field of GIS, has allowed Craig to develop a broad range of skills relating to spatial/non-spatial data analysis and administration, systems integration, business intelligence, mobile and web application development, and cartography.

Liza Olod

Administrative Manager

Liza has six years’ experience providing human resource management, administration as well as labour and employee relations. She also managed a complex array of employment and staff scheduling management tasks and established processes and documentation to support effective and efficient operations.

Kevin Peakman

B.Eng (Chem) (Hons)

Projects Preliminary Design

Kevin is leading the development of hydrogen production via electrolysis as a mechanism for assisting electricity grid stability whilst producing green hydrogen for use domestically and for export. He runs Kandls Engineering, specialising in assisting clients with using hydrogen as an energy carrier and energy storage medium. Kevin has 35 years of experience with hydrogen including steam methane reformer plant design and operation, electrolyser operation, and hydrogen storage systems including liquid hydrogen, hydrogen distribution and fuel cell design. He is a member of several Standards Australia technical committees developing and maintaining standards in the clean energy space including hydrogen.

“I believe the AESOP AI software developed by Sunshine Hydro will provide a great source of firm green energy that many industries and manufacturers are calling for with added benefit of green hydrogen production.” Kevin Peakman

Veronica White

Bookkeeper

Veronica has a background in administration, bookkeeping and customer service in a variety of sectors, including hospitality, real estate and not-for-profit fundraising and event management. Recognising the immediate need for minimising the human footprint on our planet, she is thrilled to be part of Sunshine Hydro’s vision for sustainable energy.

Advisors

Sorin Lupulescu

Advisor

Sorin is a professional engineer, specialist in hydropower operations and maintenance, with over 30 years of asset management experience in the Australian power generation industry.

Sorin was the manager of Wivenhoe Power Station for over 10 years. Wivenhoe’s twin hydro machines (pump-turbine-generator sets) remain the largest and most powerful hydro machines in South East Asia and part of Queensland’s only pumped hydro plant.

Sorin has also worked with Tarong Energy and CS Energy, the successive owners of Wivenhoe Pumped Storage Hydro, as well as Hydro Tasmania, as the power schemes engineering manager, Fluor Global as operations engineer, and in his earlier career, as a maintenance engineer with Macquarie Generations at Bayswater Power Station.

David Netherton

LLB / B.ASc / Solicitor of the Supreme Court in Queensland / Australian Institute of Company Directors

Advisor / Head of Habitat Enhance

David Netherton is a highly experienced property lawyer, originally with national firm Minter Ellison. He is a founder and director of specialist property development law firm, Pacific Law, that has offices in Qld, Vic & NSW and services large property developers, listed companies and high net worth individuals across Australia. His expertise covers commercial and residential property developments, strata scheme/staging advice and acquisitions/disposals of major residential, commercial and industrial sites.

Swati Johnri

Advisor

Swati has extensive experience in providing legal, commercial and strategic advice on program design, procurement and transaction execution to major infrastructure projects (including PPPs) and renewable energy projects.

Donovan Burton

Advisor

Donovan is a climate change adaptation specialist with a diverse portfolio of experience, having completed more than 150 climate change risk and adaptation projects. He is focused on influencing change adaptation governance through disruptive technology, big data and the internet of things. Donovan recently founded the Informed City platform for climate change adaptation governance assessments. In the past 12 months, the platform has been used to understand the adaptation governance of 230 organisations across numerous jurisdictions.

Neil Thompson

Superhybrid Strategy Advisor

As a professional management consultant, Dr Neil Thompson has dedicated himself to identifying core problems and issues in business then creating strategic solutions that eliminate waste and build the foundation for success.

Highly qualified and results-oriented, he brings more than 25 years’ of experience guiding sizeable teams in the launch of leading-edge business solutions. He possesses expertise in multiple capacities including:

* Project Management

* Business Strategy Development

* Scientific Research

He is accomplished at forging highly functional, strategic business partnerships that support global development, increasing company revenues and profits. He understands how to maintain a profitable business operation that complies with safety rules and regulations, whilst achieving market-leading customer service standards. He has proven success identifying opportunities and creating strategic solutions and establishing improved processes, utilising superior skills in strategic planning and analysis, and operations management.

Neil is currently providing pro-bono services as an Adjunct Associate Professor and Visiting Fellow at QUT, UWA and the ANU which has helped to inform development of Sunshine Hydro’s “Superhybrid” integrated PHES with additional revenue streams from production of green hydrogen and derivatives such as methanol as well as from the provision of frequency control and demand management services to the National Electricity Market.