Transitioning Australia’s energy system: Meet Bram Derks
Bram Derks is Offshore Wind Sector Lead in Australia and New Zealand. With nearly 20 years’ experience in offshore wind across Europe, and now Australia, Bram has helped shape some of the world’s most ambitious renewable energy projects.
When Bram moved to Australia in late 2022, he brought with him more than 17 years of experience in one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy sectors, offshore wind. Now leading AECOM’s offshore wind strategy in Australia and New Zealand, Bram is applying that deep global knowledge to help stand up a new industry from the ground up.
What excites you most about contributing to a new industry from the ground up?
When I moved to Australia in late 2022, I brought with me over 17 years of offshore wind experience from Europe, an industry I’ve seen grow from its early days into a cornerstone of the energy transition. Now, leading AECOM’s offshore wind strategy in Australia and New Zealand, I get to help build something new from the ground up.
This is an incredibly exciting moment. Australia is at the starting line of what could be one of the world’s most important offshore wind markets. Being part of the foundational work and laying the groundwork for future success is deeply rewarding.
Energy underpins everything we do in society. To work in a field that’s so foundational, and so full of potential, is incredibly fulfilling.
What drew you to offshore wind, and how does your background shape the way you work?
I studied aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. That foundation taught me to think systematically, solve complex problems and collaborate across disciplines. Offshore wind is the perfect match for that mindset, it combines engineering, environment, infrastructure, logistics and economics into one field.
What really drew me in was the complexity, and the sense of purpose.
I was drawn to how multidisciplinary offshore wind is. As I gained more experience, I realised it was also a way to contribute meaningfully to the energy transition.
That sense of purpose has stayed with me throughout my career.
How do you stay motivated on long and complex projects?
The projects I’ve worked on include Galloper Wind Farm in the UK, Hollandse Kust West in the Netherlands, and they can take a decade or more to develop. They’re multibillion-dollar undertakings involving layers of technical and commercial complexity. Each one requires coordination across environmental approvals, stakeholder engagement, transmission planning, port logistics and offshore construction.
There are so many pieces to the puzzle… foundations, turbines, transmission, ports, environmental studies, and stakeholder management. Every step must be carefully de-risked.
What keeps me motivated is working with teams to solve problems. That shared sense of progress, even over the long term, is what I find most rewarding.
What infrastructure is most critical to offshore wind success in Australia?
Australia’s offshore wind sector is still in its infancy, but the opportunity is enormous. With more than 15 declared or proposed zones and growing political and regulatory support, the foundation is forming. Now, we need to make sure the enabling infrastructure is there.
At AECOM, we’re already known for our strength in environmental and planning services, but two areas will be critical in the years ahead: transmission, because you can’t generate power at sea if there’s no way to get it to land, and ports.
Offshore wind can’t happen without suitable ports for construction and maintenance. This is a space where we offer crucial technical and strategic support.
Where do you see the biggest opportunities and challenges for offshore wind in the next five years?
The global momentum is undeniable. We’re seeing offshore wind expand from its European heartlands into new regions, Australia, Japan, the U.S. West Coast. Each market is different, with its own challenges, but the need for clean, reliable power is the same.
I think we’ll see a new wave of innovation in areas like floating wind, grid integration, and port design. But we also need to be realistic, this is a long-term effort.
What keeps you personally connected to your purpose at work?
I’ve always had a connection to the wind, and when I’m not at work, I’m often out windsurfing. It’s more than just a hobby, it’s a reminder of why I do what I do.
Being out on the water reminds me of the power of nature — and the responsibility we have to harness it sustainably.