Last Friday, we hosted a fruitful discussion in Dubbo on community benefits funding for the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
RE-Alliance is working in the Central-West Orana REZ to ensure that communities hosting energy infrastructure derive meaningful and long-lasting benefits from them – and that those benefits are shaped by the communities themselves.
We invited a group of engaged local community members to share their thoughts and ideas for the future of their region, and to learn more about the funding available to the Central West.
The consultation was attended by EnergyCo staff, who we thank for their commitment to meeting with the community and the valuable information they shared. It was great to hear about the various streams of funding available to communities, the purpose of these funds, some indication of their size and their potential governance.
From our discussions, it is clear there are motivated and engaged community members who see the opportunity to align benefits from hosting renewables infrastructure with a vision for a thriving future.
Renewables developments are not without impacts on the local community, and those who live and work in these communities are best placed to discuss how these impacts can be mitigated.
As the roll-out of renewables accelerates in the Central-West Orana REZ, we will continue working with communities to ensure that this once-in-a-generation opportunity delivers the best possible outcomes for the region.