Blog
Local Energy Hubs can help fill the public information gap on renewable energy
January 16, 2025
The findings in the Climate Council’s report Electric Shock! Australia’s Lightbulb Moment, released today, confirm the huge information gap that exists among communities when it comes to renewable energy – most Australians don’t know...
Read MoreNew industry reporting delivers a useful best practice resource for communities
January 14, 2025
Renewable energy companies are reporting on how they engage with communities at an unprecedented scale. It’s both a step forward in achieving a race to the top on best industry practice, and also provides...
Read MoreUnlocking First Nations clean energy aspirations with the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy
January 08, 2025
First Nations people, groups and communities have been listened to, and the barriers and opportunities to realise our clean energy aspirations have been heard. – Karrina Nolan, co-chairperson of the First Nations Clean...
Read MoreHas Australia started a race to the top of better practice renewables development?
December 18, 2024
The Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme might not sound particularly exciting – but it has the potential to deliver significant benefits for rural, regional and First Nations communities. The Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) is...
Read MoreWe're hiring – Join the RE-Alliance team in 2025
December 16, 2024
We’re excited to be recruiting for three new roles to join the RE-Alliance team in 2025! We're a small and growing team of staff, spread out across regional Australia, dedicated to a renewable energy...
Read MoreNot keen on nuclear: Renewable Energy Zone residents
December 12, 2024
Just 5% of people living in renewable energy zones would embrace living near nuclear power stations, polling released by RE-Alliance today has shown, while 53% outright reject it. 89 Degrees East polled 1,770 Australians...
Read MoreRegional Australians brief politicians on Local Energy Hubs in Canberra
November 06, 2024
Farmers, retired coal workers and local government representatives have travelled to Canberra to explain why Local Energy Hubs are urgently needed in their communities. The group briefed politicians at an event hosted by the...
Read MoreRegional Australians deliver frank and optimistic perspectives about our shift to renewables in new films
October 17, 2024
A huge cross section of regional Australia living in the thick of our shift to renewable energy have come together as part of a new film series. Former coal workers, farmers, parents, former Councillors...
Read More'We need to go for it': Meet the regional Aussies who want renewables in their backyard
October 16, 2024
A huge cross section of regional Australia living in the thick of our shift to renewable energy has come together as part of a new film series. Former coal workers, farmers, parents, former Councillors...
Read MoreSubmission to Select Committee Inquiry on Energy Planning and Regulation
October 14, 2024
Renewable energy and grid investment can and should be done well in Australia – with communities, farmers, workers, environment and First Nations groups involved in and benefitting from the developments in their regions. Key...
Read MoreBridget Ryan joins AEMO's Consumer and Community Reference Group to help amplify regional voices
October 07, 2024
Bridget Ryan, our Director of Policy and Industry Engagement, has joined the Australian Energy Market Operator's (AEMO) inaugural Consumer and Community Reference Group (CCRG). We're pleased to see Bridget's appointment, where she'll bring vital regional perspectives to...
Read MoreApplause for wind farm outcome that takes care of nature
September 26, 2024
We are multiple groups across regional Australia, agriculture, industry and conservation, and we applaud the outcome of the Cattle Hill Wind Farm investing in protecting nature. Cattle Hill Wind Farm has invested in cameras...
Read MorePolling shows a huge information gap - Australians in the dark on renewable energy shift
September 11, 2024
New polling shows the majority of Australians have no idea how much progress has been made in shifting the national electricity grid to one powered by renewable sources. The latest Essential Report shows just...
Read MoreSubmission to Senate Inquiry into offshore wind
September 06, 2024
We welcome the opportunity to respond to this Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications Inquiry. Our organisation supports offshore wind as a key technology that will deliver affordable and reliable renewable energy supply,...
Read MoreSubmission on Tasmania’s draft Renewable Energy Guideline and Renewable Energy Zones
September 05, 2024
As Tasmania looks to expand its renewable energy, we are eager to see it rolled out in a way that ensures Tasmania’s communities, regions, environment and industry can benefit. We are actively engaged in Tasmania...
Read MoreFederal, State and Local MPs want Local Energy Hubs for regional communities
September 03, 2024
A raft of Federal and State MPs and more than 40 Local Government representatives have joined a growing call for the federal government to fund and resource Local Energy Hubs: physical centres with a...
Read MoreLocal Energy Hubs can make the shift to renewable energy easier: Farmers
August 14, 2024
A new campaign urging the government to invest in ‘Local Energy Hubs’ has kicked off centred on three regional Australian farmers' experience with the shift to renewable energy. The campaign comes as the Regional...
Read MoreBig renewables need big support: Local Energy Hubs can help us through the change
August 05, 2024
– Andrew Bray, RE-Alliance National Director and Jarra Hicks, Community Power Agency Director. This week, a new report highlighted strong support for the shift to renewable energy among Australians. However, it also found that this support...
Read MoreWhy investing in our grid is a priority for Australia
July 19, 2024
Today we launch ‘Why investing in our grid is a priority for Australia’ – a guide from an alliance of organisations who recognise the need for Australia to decarbonise its energy sector and that...
Read MoreFarmers, electricians, environmental and climate advocacy groups unite in need for investment in grid upgrades
July 19, 2024
Investing in our grid is a priority for Australia, says a coalition of organisations representing farming families, electricians, regional communities and environmental and climate advocacy groups. The Alliance was announced today as the Energy...
Read MoreSubmission to VicGrid’s draft Renewable Energy Zones Community Benefit Plan
June 26, 2024
RE-Alliance has been engaged in renewable energy, social licence and benefit sharing policy discussions in Victoria for over ten years. In the last two years, this has included several consultations on the development of...
Read MoreBuild trust and transmission for affordable and reliable energy
June 26, 2024
RE-Alliance backs the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO’s) national plan for affordable and reliable energy released today, and says governments now need to focus on building trust with regional communities to make it a...
Read More‘Let’s get on with it’ – Regions want real solutions, not politics
June 17, 2024
Australia needs bipartisan support for a plan to help regional communities to work with and benefit from renewable energy infrastructure in regional Australia. RE-Alliance and Community Power Agency have been working for more than...
Read More"The path to net zero runs through First Nations land" – First Nations Clean Energy Symposium 2024
June 13, 2024
– Tony Goodfellow, Advocacy Manager, RE-Alliance. Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the First Nations Clean Energy Symposium in Tarntanya (Adelaide). It brought together Traditional Owners, communities engaging in the clean energy...
Read MoreCapacity Investment Scheme must be about filling gaps in social licence, too
June 04, 2024
– Andrew Bray, RE-Alliance National Director and Kym Mallee, Community Power Agency Director. The Australian government has a challenge. Having gone big on renewable energy and clean economy announcements, how does it now deliver...
Read MoreGovernment is listening - new tender guidelines for renewables finally valuing communities
May 31, 2024
RE-Alliance and the Community Power Agency – two organisations working for more than a decade with regional communities hosting large-scale renewable energy projects – have warmly welcomed the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) improved tender...
Read MoreHelen Haines backs Local Energy Hubs for regional communities
May 20, 2024
RE-Alliance welcomes news independent MP Helen Haines has backed Local Energy Hubs as a way to deliver accurate information about the energy shift to local communities. RE-Alliance, which works with regional communities as they...
Read MoreWhat’s in the budget for renewable energy regions?
May 15, 2024
RE-Alliance and the Community Power Agency – two organisations working for more than a decade with regional communities hosting large-scale renewable energy projects – welcome the $22.7 billion investment committed to Australia’s renewable energy...
Read MoreJoint submission to the Electricity and Energy Sector Decarbonisation Plan
April 30, 2024
RE-Alliance and the Community Power Agency (CPA) prepared a joint submission to the Government's consultation on this decarbonisation sector plan. Both our organisations are focussed on ensuring that the energy transformation delivers for communities...
Read MoreSubmission to Senate Inquiry into the Net Zero Economy Authority legislative package
April 19, 2024
RE-Alliance supports Australia’s ambition to become a net zero economy. Our path to net zero should align with the Paris Agreement, based on science, that recognises the major risks of global warming beyond 1.5°C....
Read MoreWithout community support, the green energy transition will fail. Here’s how to get communities on board
April 05, 2024
RE-Alliance worked with Dr. Simon Wright on this piece, published in The Conversation. Connecting cheap, clean energy from renewables comes with a hidden cost and challenge: building 5,000 kilometres of new transmission lines this...
Read MoreLocal Energy Hubs can help people and communities through change
April 03, 2024
RE-Alliance and the Community Power Agency, two organisations working for more than a decade with regional communities navigating large-scale renewable energy projects, have welcomed the detail provided by the Chair of the Net Zero...
Read MoreCapacity Investment Scheme needs to set high bar for communities hosting renewables
March 28, 2024
– Andrew Bray, RE-Alliance National Director and Jarra Hicks, Director of Community Power Agency. With social licence now acknowledged as one of the largest challenges for our shift to clean energy, attention can now...
Read MoreReforming the EPBC Act for nature, community and climate outcomes
March 28, 2024
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act is Australia's legal framework for the protection of nationally significant places, species and ecosystems. It is being updated by the Federal Government for the first time...
Read MoreIs this a pivotal moment for industry to place First Nations communities at the centre of the clean energy transition?
March 25, 2024
A new guide outlines Free, Prior and Informed Consent for the renewables industry. As Australia’s shift to clean energy progresses, we must ensure improved outcomes for communities and respect for the rights of First...
Read MoreEnsuring the expanded Capacity Investment Scheme delivers for host regions
March 25, 2024
RE-Alliance and Community Power Agency co-authored a submission to the Government on the expanded Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS). The CIS will bring forward government support for 23 GW of new renewable energy generation and...
Read MoreRE-Alliance calls for governments to invest in building trust for Australia’s clean energy shift
March 01, 2024
Today’s response by the Energy and Climate Ministerial Council to Andrew Dyer’s Community Engagement Review means Australia can move forward in securing an energy transformation that delivers long-term benefits to regional Australia. RE-Alliance is...
Read MoreBetter Practice Renewables and Biodiversity: Opportunities for Collaboration Guide
February 27, 2024
The intersecting crises of accelerating climate change and ecosystem decline present a challenge for the switch to renewable energy. We need to build new infrastructure to replace fossil fuels and at the same time,...
Read MoreHere we go again: Busting myths and misinformation on the Victorian blackouts
February 16, 2024
Storms caused one of the largest outage events in Victoria’s history last week, resulting in half a million people going without power. Almost as damaging is the predictable political debate and the swift publication...
Read MoreCommunity engagement has no cookie-cutter approach: It’s time to start listening
February 07, 2024
– Andrew Bray, National Director, RE-Alliance. The start of the 2024 federal parliamentary year has brought the building of new energy infrastructure across rural and regional Australia into sharp focus. The majority of regional...
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