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A digital copy of Shepparton could help identify energy efficiency solutions

By Ashley Darling

Jul 23, 2026

Professor Daswin de Silva from La Trobe University spoke with Linda Nieuwenhuizen of Committee for Greater Shepparton and Andrew Yeoland of FOOTT Waste Solutions about the benefits of a digital twin for Shepparton. Photo by Ashley Darling

A new virtual copy of Shepparton, dubbed ‘ShepparTwin’, could help tackle energy security and infrastructure planning for the region’s businesses and energy producers.

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In a collaboration between La Trobe University and Committee for Greater Shepparton, the project will create a simulation of the region that models the use of energy to identify pinch points and potential efficiency improvements.

Linda Nieuwenhuizen, chief executive of C4GS, said the project would allow for existing data sets from different industry partners to be connected, benefiting the whole region.

At roundtables in 2025, C4GS identified energy as being the key constraint for developing manufacturing and industry in Greater Shepparton.

“I would love to see energy become this region’s competitive advantage,” Ms Nieuwenhuizen said.

Andrew Yeoland, board member for C4GS and chief executive of FOOTT Waste Solutions, said he would like to see “the platform develop into the future”.

Although the current focus is energy, ShepparTwin could be expanded to help optimise routes for trucks and management of waste.

Professor Daswin de Silva, Al and analytics expert from La Trobe University, said the digital twin would help with predicting and understanding outages.

Prof de Silva said the digital twin would be able to perform scenario modelling that could provide information “well before the investment is sought”.