Blog
Making Queensland’s new community benefit arrangements work for all
July 17, 2025
– Tom Dixon, Queensland Community Engagement Manager, and Megan Kessler, Policy and Research Manager, RE-Alliance. Queensland is on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation transformation. With more than $70 billion of wind, solar, battery and...
Read MoreSubmission to the NSW Net Zero Commission
July 10, 2025
RE-Alliance has considered the Net Zero Commission’s 2025 Consultation Paper through the lens of our work to support regional communities in the shift to renewable energy. With that in mind, RE-Alliance makes the following...
Read More"We shouldn't have to shout to be heard"
July 07, 2025
Tracey Richards is a Queensland cattle grazier who worked with Greenleaf Renewables for 2.5 years to host turbines within the Moonlight Range Wind Farm project near Rockhampton. The project received state planning approval in...
Read MoreSubmission on the draft Victorian Transmission Plan
July 01, 2025
RE-Alliance welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Draft 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan (VTP) developed by VicGrid. Ensuring there is transmission capacity available for renewable generation and storage to connect into is one of...
Read MoreReducing impacts from wind farm development on birds and bats – A new Victorian handbook
June 19, 2025
– Tony Goodfellow, Policy and Engagement Manager Overseas, painted wind turbine blades are decreasing bird impacts and acoustic detection is reducing bat impacts. So, why aren’t things like that happening here in Australia? It...
Read MoreRegional Queenslanders want certainty in their energy future
June 18, 2025
– Tom Dixon, Queensland Community Engagement Manager, RE-Alliance. RE-Alliance welcomes the Queensland Government’s renewed focus on the leadership role for local governments and social impact assessment in renewable energy planning, as seen in the...
Read MoreWhat’s in the draft Victorian Transmission Plan and what does it mean for our communities?
June 17, 2025
– Tony Goodfellow, Policy & Engagement Manager, RE-Alliance. The draft Victorian Transmission Plan (VTP) was published last month by Victoria’s grid planning agency, VicGrid – and it’s open to public feedback until 24 June,...
Read MoreThe burning question about renewable energy
June 11, 2025
– Andrew Bray, RE-Alliance National Director. Every time a light is switched on in a farmhouse, or a dairy, or an abattoir, that electricity has arrived via a power line that runs across the...
Read More'Renewables done right' series trailer
June 04, 2025
This is the trailer for 'Renewables done right', a series where rural and regional Australians share their experiences of living alongside renewable energy. Hear stories about how Aussies are farming alongside solar panels, wind...
Read MoreIndustry, community and environment, union and science leaders unite in urgent call for EPBC Act reform
May 29, 2025
In an unprecedented show of unity, and in the face of the escalating impacts of climate change and rapid biodiversity loss, industry, community and environmental organisations are calling on the Albanese Government to deliver...
Read MoreSubmission to QLD Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
May 20, 2025
The Queensland Government has a proposal to formalise social impact assessment and mandate the provision of community benefits, which we have provided a submission response to. RE-Alliance generally welcomes the proposal to formalise social...
Read MoreKeeping Queensland’s renewable future on track – Communities, certainty and regional benefits
May 20, 2025
– Tom Dixon, Queensland Community Engagement Manager, RE-Alliance. Queensland is racing toward a clean energy future, with more than $70 billion worth of wind, solar, storage and transmission already in the pipeline. But while regional...
Read MoreVictorian Transmission Plan gives communities some certainty, but engagement is key
May 16, 2025
Victorian rural and regional communities have more certainty about the shift to renewables, with the release of the draft Victorian Transmission Plan – but more engagement is needed. The Victorian Government’s draft Transmission Plan,...
Read MoreThe latest renewable energy announcements for regional NSW
May 15, 2025
– Mark Squires, NSW Community Engagement Manager. As many people focused on the renewable energy shift in New South Wales will know, there’s been a flurry of activity in the past couple of months....
Read MoreNSW Transmission Planning Review 2025 Options Paper
May 15, 2025
The New South Wales Government is currently reviewing its transmission planning arrangements and options for reforms, in the 'Transmission Planning Review 2025 Options Paper'. The Renewable Energy Alliance (RE-Alliance) recognises the importance of transmission...
Read MoreCommunity benefits and renewables – David Clark
May 14, 2025
“The Waubra Wind Farm pays $100,000 a year that the community fund has and spends on projects just within this area. For a small community like us, that’s just gold.” Watch David Clark, farmer...
Read MoreFederal election result an invitation to get renewables done right in the regions
May 06, 2025
Regional communities, particularly those living in renewable energy regions across Australia, now have certainty following the weekend’s federal election result. The nation has clearly endorsed the job we’re already halfway through completing: powering our...
Read MoreSubmission to Victoria’s Climate Change Review
April 11, 2025
The Victorian Government is reviewing its climate legislation and consulting with stakeholders about their views. We provided a short response outlining that the Renewable Energy Alliance strongly supports Victoria in establishing a clear, ambitious...
Read MoreRegional Queenslanders want certainty, not coal: Renewable energy the right way
April 09, 2025
– Tom Dixon, Queensland Community Engagement Manager, RE-Alliance. Queensland’s renewable energy future has been thrown into question. Yesterday, at his first major speech on energy, David Janetski announced the Crisafulli Government would walk back...
Read MoreNature and renewables – Neville Oddie and Kate Redwood
April 07, 2025
"Anything that has an environmental benefit is something that we're prepared to embrace and engage with, and renewable energy is one of those concepts." "The income from the turbines has offset some of what...
Read MoreThis ain't no April fools: Nuclear support melts down in proposed nuclear communities
April 01, 2025
MEDIA RELEASE Nuclear support has melted down in proposed nuclear communities, new polling released by a not-for-profit organisation working with regional communities for more than a decade, RE-Alliance, revealed today. Energy attitudes polling by...
Read MoreNo Local Energy Hubs in federal budget, regional communities now pin hopes on election promise
March 26, 2025
The Renewable Energy Alliance (RE-Alliance) and Community Power Agency – two organisations working for more than a decade in renewable energy regions – say last night’s budget is a missed opportunity for regional communities....
Read MoreEmpowering Tasmania's renewable future: What’s going on?
March 20, 2025
– Toby Thorpe, Tasmania Community Engagement Manager. Tasmania continues to play an important part in Australia's renewable energy shift, with ambitious goals to not only meet but exceed its energy needs through renewable sources....
Read MoreWhere we'll be at upcoming events
March 12, 2025
Our team is often out and about speaking at various events, ensuring regional communities are at the forefront of conversations about the renewable energy shift. Here’s where you can find us in the coming...
Read MoreSheep under solar – Tony Inder
March 10, 2025
"It's showing a 20% increase in the wool cut of the sheep from under the panels, compared to the control flock outside the panels. So from a wool growing point of view, it'll be...
Read MoreSolar and batteries on farms – Sophie Nichols
March 10, 2025
"Farms are big energy users. In lowering those costs, renewables was the only kind of option. I can't see producing food becoming any cheaper, but I can see producing power becoming cheaper." Watch Sophie...
Read MoreFarming with transmission – Lee Kingma
March 10, 2025
"We just work round the power lines as we would with any obstacle. They don’t really have a big impact for anything that we do day-to-day." Watch Lee Kingma, Tumut grazier, on his experience...
Read MoreFuture planning with renewables – Tom Gunthorpe
March 10, 2025
"We negotiated a decommissioning fund. So it’s just a peace of mind to eliminate any financial exposure to the landholders. Just remember it’s your farm and you negotiate what you feel comfortable with." Watch...
Read MoreCommunities and renewables – Sally Hunter
March 10, 2025
"A sector like renewables in a community can create more flow on benefits. We have these opportunities to control our own power, share our own power and generate our own power and I think...
Read MoreWind turbines and farming – Lindsay Marriott
March 10, 2025
"Probably the most unexpected part about it is how easily it has integrated into my farm. Look I’m pretty proud of it, and I like being here and I like working here." Watch Lindsay...
Read MoreHunter community frustrated at lack of funding for Local Energy Hubs
March 07, 2025
Community groups have labelled the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy’s decision not to announce funding for Local Energy Hubs at last night’s Hunter Community Alliance (HCA) Assembly as a missed opportunity. An...
Read MoreMeet our three new staff members
March 04, 2025
We're pleased to welcome three new staff members to the Renewable Energy Alliance team, all doing critical work to support rural and regional communities in the renewable energy shift. Mark SquiresNSW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER...
Read MoreHow Hay approached renewable energy on their terms
February 27, 2025
When Alison McLean first heard about the renewable energy projects rumoured to be coming to Hay, a farming town in the western Riverina region of New South Wales, she was concerned. It was 2022,...
Read MoreRenewable Energy Alliance appoints new Chair
February 13, 2025
The Renewable Energy Alliance (RE-Alliance) Board has elected Anna Hancock as its new Chair at its February meeting. Anna is Executive Director at Pollination with 25 years of energy and resources sector experience in...
Read MoreWhat’s going on in Queensland?
February 07, 2025
Communities want a stake. Industry needs certainty. Farmers want options. – Tom Dixon, Queensland Community Engagement Manager, RE-Alliance. RE-Alliance welcomes recent announcements by the Queensland Government on increased community consultation and planning, but cautions...
Read MoreThe Hunter needs a Local Energy Hub
February 06, 2025
As Ausgrid consults communities about upgrades to critical network infrastructure to support the Hunter Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, local groups are urging the Federal Government to deliver a Local Energy Hub to the...
Read MoreSubmission to Inquiry: Impact of Renewable Energy Zones on rural and regional communities and industries in New South Wales
February 05, 2025
The NSW Parliament is running an inquiry on renewable energy developments in regional and rural areas. RE-Alliance has worked in New South Wales for over a decade with communities and industry on renewable energy...
Read MoreEnergy Dynamics Report highlights need for Local Energy Hubs in regions
January 30, 2025
Unreliable coal-fired power generators and a lack of adequate transmission infrastructure are driving energy prices up according to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Quarterly Energy Dynamics Report out today. The data shows that states...
Read MoreSubmission to the draft Queensland Renewables Regulatory Framework
January 30, 2025
We responded to the Queensland Government consultation on their Draft Renewables Regulatory Framework. The Framework can – we believe – play a key connecting function between planning, policy and practice by renewable energy developers...
Read MoreLocal 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...
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