Community Energy Network

Support is brewing for Local Energy Hubs! ⚡️ Last week we hosted an event at the Parliament of Victoria, calling for the federal government to fund and resource Local Energy Hubs – a network of outreach centres across Australia, staffed by local people who are dedicated to helping their local community to understand, participate in and benefit from the shift to renewable energy. Our lineup of wonderful speakers on the night included our very own Jarra Hicks, PhD; Victorian Minister for Climate Action, Energy & Resources and the State Electricity Commission, Lily D’Ambrosio MP; President of the Municipal Association of Victoria, David Clark; Beon Energy Solutions’ Community Engagement and Sustainability Specialist, Justin Coburn; and President of Voices of the Valley and Organiser at Friends of the Earth Australia, Wendy Farmer. Jarra Hicks, PhD highlighted that: “As more and more [renewable energy] projects pop up, the more important it is to have people based in regional areas who can see the whole picture, connect the dots, help to amplify the opportunities and reduce the engagement fatigue.” You can read more about why Federal, State and Local MPs want Local Energy Hubs for regional communities below. Show your support for Local Energy Hubs by visiting the website and signing onto our Open Letter to the Federal Government ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gziiGU4b https://lnkd.in/dsZpAj6k RE-Alliance Friends of the Earth Australia

🙌 Exciting times ahead for the Community Energy Activator! On Sunday, 8 September, the first introduction session was held in Ōtautahi, bringing together all the groups for the very first time. It was great to meet such a diverse range of individuals, each bringing unique backgrounds and expertise to the table. We're looking forward to beginning this pilot together and supporting everyone throughout their journey over the next 12 weeks. 🌸 A big welcome to the following groups that are on board: • Papanui Youth Development Trust • Lyttelton Energy Transition Society • Shirley Village Project • The Green Lab • Nōku Te Ao Charitable Trust • Castlehill community group • Oxford Community Hub for Resilient Energy • Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust • Christchurch Community House For more info see Community Energy Incubator website: ceactivator.co.nz 📸 Erica Austin, Peanut Productions Photography Ara Ake | Orion NZ Ltd | Community Energy Network

It might not feel like a saving when you have to pay more than before, but the Commerce Commission's recent draft decision on how much the electricity distribution businesses can make in the next few years has the potential to save New Zealanders $1.3 billion. While the bills are still going up by 74 percent over the next five years, they’re not going up by as much as they could have, so this decision is a win for customers, a step in the right direction for the energy sector and an opportunity for customer generation and storage (solar and batteries) to play more of a role. If the Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko changes the rules to ensure customers are paid fairly for the energy they contribute back into the system, in the same way that many customers are rewarded today for reducing their use at peak times, households, farms and businesses with solar and batteries can reduce their energy bills even further. Read Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey's opinion piece in Newsroom NZ.

An absolute must-read from the wonderful Fraser Stewart, on the essential nature of community involvement in large-scale energy infrastructure. It goes against every capitalist instinct, but without a deep, sustainable approach towards community involvement, clean energy construction will constantly be hitting walls of friction, opposition and delays, and we'll invariably miss climate targets. "Too often we talk about community engagement as a means getting people to accept what we want to do, and all that requires is the right type of community benefit or just making people understand. But citizens and communities will not be passive recipients of net zero. They’re active partners who know their areas and needs and priorities well, and we could recognise that far better than we do now" https://lnkd.in/dBEVXwC8

An absolute must-read from the wonderful Fraser Stewart, on the essential nature of community involvement in large-scale energy infrastructure. It goes against every capitalist instinct, but without a deep, sustainable approach towards community involvement, clean energy construction will constantly be hitting walls of friction, opposition and delays, and we'll invariably miss climate targets. "Too often we talk about community engagement as a means getting people to accept what we want to do, and all that requires is the right type of community benefit or just making people understand. But citizens and communities will not be passive recipients of net zero. They’re active partners who know their areas and needs and priorities well, and we could recognise that far better than we do now" https://lnkd.in/dBEVXwC8

We need regional communities onboard with the energy transition if we are to meet our decarbonisation targets. However, market forces mean that renewable developers are not always engaging in best practice. This issue was underscored in the recent Australian Energy Infrastructure Commission Community Engagement Review, which recommended that the Government “Improve community engagement by motivating developers to achieve best practice and only selecting reputable developers for new project development”. Recognising this critical gap, Community Power Agency has authored a discussion paper highlighting the importance of National Merit Criteria in securing social acceptance for renewable projects. Merely meeting financial and technical benchmarks does not cut it. Projects must also prioritise fairness to the communities and environments they operate within. By delivering a strong social criteria in tenders, Federal leadership could pave the way for a renewables sector that not only meets energy needs but also fosters sustainable relationships with host communities. #doingrenewablesbetter https://lnkd.in/d8QNVmpN