Community groups across Australia are taking the nation’s climate change goals into their own hands by launching renewable energy projects.
A new report published by Community Power Agency revealed Aussie communities had raised nearly $87m in the last year to fund their own renewable energy infrastructure rather than wait on government initiatives.
The largely volunteer-driven projects, including solar power, battery storage, energy efficiency, electric cars, microgrids, and wind turbines, have been financed with minimal government assistance.
They have produced 19,000 MWh of clean energy, saving the atmosphere for the equivalent of 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
That’s the same impact as removing nearly 8,000 cars from our roads.
Communities take climate change into their own hands
The projects show a growing sense of urgency behind everyday Australians’ response to the climate crisis, with the establishment of 30 new community groups since 2015, all looking to throw the first punches in the nation’s fight against climate change.
Director of Community Power Agency Kristy Walters says those behind the community groups were motivated by a desire for local participation in the renewable energy transition and increased energy reliability and self-sufficiency.
“It’s remarkable that these energy groups have achieved so much – funding their projects through the community, with minimal government support,” she said.
“This is the low-hanging fruit of decarbonising our grid. Communities want to be involved in their energy generation, and the projects we have highlighted demonstrate how important this is for community buy-in.”
Despite the community projects collectively producing enough clean energy to power 2,800 Aussie homes for a year, the report warned challenges such as a lack of funding, government red tape, and volunteer burnout were holding them back from reaching their potential.
One renewable energy community group, The South Coast Health and Sustainability Alliance, has upgraded several buildings to provide refuge to the community during extreme weather events such as bushfires that previously devastated the area.
Located in NSW’s Eurobodalla region, the group have installed independent solar and battery power systems across six community-owned buildings to ensure they can continue to operate when the grid goes down, providing refuge to vulnerable community members.
Meanwhile, in North West NSW, the Geni Energy group has installed battery and solar projects around Narrabri, helping locals save on power bills and keep the lights on during blackouts.
“Our region has no REZ (NSW Renewable Energy Zone) and no transition plan for our coal workers, so this is left up to community energy groups such as Geni,” community group member Sally Hunter told Build-it.
“Our region has oodles of land, sun, and a little too much drought, which is perfect for maximising the renewable energy opportunities, especially when it can be driven locally.”
But it’s not just regional areas helping Australia meet its net zero-by-2050 carbon ambitions, with Inner West Community Energy helping Sydney homes with their renewable energy transition.
“In six years, we’ve built a group that’s helped over 330 households install rooftop solar, we’ve helped with household batteries and delivered a number of community solar projects across Sydney’s Inner West,” IWES member Gavin Gilchrist told Build it.
“Now we’re helping households get off the gas. It proves the community is far ahead of governments when understanding the need for rapid climate action.”
Local projects show more federal support needed
Dr Jonathan Marshall, a researcher from the Climate, Society and Environment Research Centre at the University of Technology Sydney, called on the government to support community climate change action further.
“These findings show the growth and interest in community renewable energy, not only as a source of energy but as a source of local development and resilience,” he said.
“It also illustrates the difficulties that volunteer organisations face, especially when the regulations seem geared for large-scale commercial developments.”
The Community Power Agency report makes eight recommendations, including calling on all state and territory governments to unlock 100MW of community energy projects by 2028.
The report emphasises the need for targeted government support to overcome these obstacles, including ongoing grant funding and introducing a community energy collaboration network to help community groups tackle challenges and share knowledge.
