After starting her career with Hitachi Energy as an intern, Simran is now a Project Administrator and works collaboratively with Brisbane City Council on the Brisbane Metro project, – an initiative championing sustainability as it endeavours to deliver a new era of connected travel. The new fleet of electric, high-capacity and high-frequency metros will transform the efficiencies of Brisbane’s bus network by unlocking capacity to help get more people to where they want to go, at the times they want to travel.
Before Hitachi Energy, I worked as a Junior Network Specialist at Griffith University Nathan Campus. My main role involved troubleshooting networks and checking their reach throughout the university. Following this, I applied for an internship at Hitachi Energy, which was then ABB, because I had a bit of background in eElectrical eEngineering and an interest in the electrical industry.
When I first received an internship with Hitachi Energy, I didn’t know much about the company. I knew it was big. I didn’t know how big. Now I understand the scale at which it operates – with over 300,000 employees with multiple departments and branches worldwide involving various services – it is massive.
I’m now working on Brisbane Metro which is trialling the rollout of smart charging solutions for a growing number of the city’s buses. . The charging strategy for Brisbane Metro, utilizses Grid-eMotion® equipment, striking a balance between battery size and life, infrastructure requirements and operational efficiency. The metro and its charging system are the first of their kind in Australia and will help future- proof Brisbane’s public transport network. - I feel honoured to be a part of something that will have a lasting and real impact on society.
It’s essential for me that I am part of a positive workplace environment, and I’m excited to say that Hitachi Energy is just that. I’m lucky to be surrounded by an expert team who’s always helpful and happily supports me If needed.
The workplace culture is so strong because we all work toward a common goal – advancing a sustainable energy future for all. It fills me with pride whenever I’m responsible for Hitachi Energy’s customers’ satisfaction. And if we have a disruption of any kind, say because of COVID-19, we make sure we provide alternatives and try to keep everyone happy.
When I first joined the team at Hitachi Energy, I was concerned that there would be a massive culture shock. Thankfully, that was not the case. As a multinational company, with departments and branches extending across borders, everyone made me feel welcome. I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for how I’ve been introduced to the team.
I’m lucky to be involved in the Brisbane Metro project, which involves Brisbane City Council and Hitachi Energy working together to deliver a piece of the future-transport puzzle, – one that’s sustainable, scalable, and connected. We’ve completed stage one of the project, facilitating the delivery of two different Grid-eMotion® charging technologies: 60 x 50kW CCS2 plug-in chargers for the entirefull fleet at the depot and 15 x 600kW Flash charging points at line ends. These smart charging solutions are helping cities to accelerate sustainable mobility with no noise, no tailpipe emissions, and more space and seats for passengers. Currently, we are in the project’s service portion, ensuring the charging timetable and scheduling are going smoothly.
The pilot metro has a lot riding on its success. It must undertake important testing activities across Greater Brisbane at different locations to ensure it meets all required technical specifications and Council requirements. It has been incredibly rewarding for me so far to see everyone working as a family in tandem, making sure all parties are satisfied and happy with the outcome of our work.
Being part of the Brisbane Metro project and working towards a net- zero carbon future has been a driving influence for me, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Hitachi Energy.
