Graduate profile: Hunter Finlay
Growing up, Hunter Finlay didn’t consider a career in energy; his sights were set on being an architect. However, after spending some time on placement at an architecture firm, Hunter realised it wasn’t for him.
After finishing his honours in Economics at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville, where his thesis centred on medical policy, Hunter answered a Seek ad for CS Energy’s graduate program and joined us in February 2025.
While he didn’t have a background in energy, in fact, Hunter grew up immersed in a world of energy and sustainability right at home.
Tell us about the 'Innovation House'.
I lived in North Queensland’s first 10-star energy rated home, built by my dad who ran his own construction company.
It’s known as the Innovation House and was particularly well known when it was constructed; featuring on TV, the news and in blogs. It is powered by a 4.5kw battery backup solar system and batteries. Sustainability is integrated into the design: it uses fully insulated low-thermal mass timber framed walls. The layout was orientated to take into account the path of the sun and there are specially designed breeze paths to cool the house.
The house also uses a low water tropical garden and features a huge fruit and vegetable selection. JCU set up sensors and servers in the garage to track our energy consumption as well as temperatures and humidity levels throughout the home.
Tell us about your first rotation at CS Energy in the Policy and Regulation team.
My time in policy provided me with a detailed understanding of the mechanisms at play every day to keep the energy system functioning, along with gaining some perspective into what the future holds for the energy sector. Moreover, I have been able to advocate for how CS Energy is contributing to providing safe and reliable energy for future generations to come.
My learning revolved mainly around the policies governing the wholesale energy market. This came from working firsthand on policies pertaining to generation, essential system services, customer protections, emissions reductions/accounting as well as market design and expansion. All of which are areas playing a vital role in keeping energy affordable, reliable and secure.
Tell us about your current rotation in the wholesale analytics team.
It’s a chance to get some more operational experience and listen in on the trading floor activity, better understanding the day-to-day operations that underpin CS Energy’s performance. It’s good to understand how complex and interrelated everything is in the energy market – we move beyond matters of supply, demand and price.
The weather, interconnections, different plant technology and mixes, it all plays a part.
The energy industry, and trading, is like a TV show that has a bunch of seasons – there’s always going to be more to unpack.
What have you enjoyed most during your time at CS Energy so far?
Meeting new people and learning about their journeys to where they are today. Energy is a unique and exciting space to work, which draws in people of all professions, backgrounds and experiences. It has been a pleasure to work with and learn from economists, engineers, financial traders, and more!
Learn about our graduate program