Meet Brenton Adey - our Senior Data Engineer in Perth

I’m thrilled to welcome Brenton Adey to the Gridcog team!

As Gridcog continues to grow, Brenton Adey joins our team as a Senior Data Engineer, where he’ll be helping to source, prepare, and automate data flows that power the Gridcog simulation engine - improving both our modelling and customer experience.

Brenton brings a diverse range of experience from his time as a Senior Data and Analytics Consultant at Telstra Purple, as well as his role at First Mode, where he worked on decarbonising heavy industry through data-driven hydrogen and electric vehicle solutions.

Outside of work, you’ll likely find him playing bass or guitar in one of several bands around the Perth music scene.

Read on to learn more about Brenton!

What were you doing before Gridcog, and what got you into the energy space?

In a previous life I worked in many different industries as a Senior Data and Analytics Consultant at Telstra Purple and tutored for the University of Western Australia’s Data and Analytics Bootcamp. My first exposure to the green energy space however was when I joined First Mode as a Data Engineer, where I helped build out the data platform which ingested data from retrofit haulage trucks with the aim of decarbonising heavy industry through hydrogen, battery, and hybrid-electric solutions. In conjunction with this I also recently completed a Masters of Applied Artificial Intelligence from Deakin university, with my thesis on the topic of intrinsically explainable deep learning neural networks for analysing EEG brain signals.

‍What is your role at Gridcog?

I have joined the Data and Modelling team at Gridcog as a Senior Data Engineer, helping source, prepare, and automate the flow of data from external sources and through the underlying Gridcog simulation engine to continually improve the modelling and customer experience.

‍What attracted you to working with Gridcog?

My attraction to Gridcog as a place to work was three-fold. Firstly, I had heard great things about the amazing team which is already here and was excited to be amongst all these great minds. Secondly, as a technology nerd through and through, I was captivated by the mission and the interesting problems that arise from having to model such complex systems like international energy markets. If that wasn’t enough I am also incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work towards a greener future through the decentralisation and decarbonisation of the energy networks, a cause I care deeply about.

What do you like to do outside of work?

If I am not doing something data related a good bet is that you’ll find me with a guitar or bass in hand. I started playing guitar when I was about 6 years old and music has been an important part of my life ever since. At any given time I am in 3-5 bands, playing music from pop-punk to hard rock to indie. If anyone out there cares to venture out to the Perth music scene I’m sure I’ll see you somewhere.

‍What technology could you not live without?

With my job and life heavily revolving around technology, this is a difficult question to answer. If I had to pick one thing though, I simply could not live without some sort of music streaming service. Though I love my car’s CD stacker I couldn’t get by with the same songs on repeat for the rest of my life.