When Mollie Zhang first started her career, she didn’t imagine she would one day work in energy trading – but the moment she entered the energy industry, she felt an instant pull.
“I originally started my career in teaching, and while it was rewarding, I reached a point where I wanted more challenge and more room to grow,” Mollie said.
“I spent five years teaching Chinese and accounting in primary and secondary schools before taking up a data analytics course and joining CS Energy in 2023 as a graduate data analyst.
“The energy sector stood out to me because of how much is changing, especially in the National Electricity Market.
“Trading quickly became the area I was most drawn to because it sits at the centre of the business, and it felt like a natural next step. It’s the place where changes in the market really play out and where key commercial decisions are made.”
Trading in the bigger picture
Since stepping into her role as Physical Trading Strategy Advisor, Mollie has come to see that good trading isn’t just about what’s on the screen – it’s about understanding the wider business and how everything connects.
“What surprised me most was how interconnected the role of trading is. It brings together operations, engineering, forecasting, risk and compliance, and success depends on how well those parts work together,” Mollie said.
“Our trading decisions are closely tied to how our assets are operating on the ground, which is why the relationships that I have with our teams on site are so important.
“We regularly talk about current site conditions including any derates, planned work, and engineering, environmental or safety considerations, as well as things like fuel, ash, and water availability.
“At the same time, I help keep our site teams informed about what’s happening in the market and the trading conditions and strategies at the trading desk.
“Keeping communication open between trading and sites means decisions are based on real operational conditions, not assumptions. That alignment helps us trade our assets safely, compliantly, and commercially. I see my role as making sure information flows clearly and consistently between teams.
“I’m learning all the time through day-to-day conversations with traders, working through operational constraints with site teams, and seeing how engineering decisions flow through to the market.”
The future of trading
With Australia’s energy mix evolving faster than ever, Mollie says it’s a really exciting time to be in the industry – and no two days ever feel the same.
“Trading in the National Electricity Market is changing as more generation capacity comes into the system, particularly renewables and batteries,” she said.
“With more supply in the market, prices have been more competitive, and trading is becoming less about reacting to prices alone and more about understanding how different assets work together to manage risk and support reliability.
“Firming assets are playing a bigger role, and trading is becoming more closely linked with operations, forecasting, and technology. In practice, that means spending more time understanding how assets behave under different conditions and how the system responds, not just what prices are doing.
“That shift is something I’m genuinely excited about. I had the opportunity to be part of the commissioning process for the Chinchilla Battery – CS Energy’s first battery asset – and in the coming years I’m especially looking forward to learning more about gas trading as the company brings its first gas asset, the Brigalow Peaking Power Plant, into operation.
“Building experience across batteries, thermal, and gas assets, and seeing how they work together as part of a broader portfolio, is where I see myself continuing to grow.”