Power To The People

Power To The People

- Alan Deans

Plenty of savvy city folk are saving on power costs by installing solar panels and batteries in their homes. But their country cousins are going one better. Upwards of 60 community renewable energy projects – mostly wind or solar – have sprung up in towns around Australia as neighbours pool their cash to green their environment and make money. Yes, the two do go together. More projects are on the way.

Perhaps the two best known are wind turbines installed at Denmark, near Albany, WA, and Daylesford, near Ballarat, Victoria. To show how the community has embraced them, the two Daylesford turbines have been named Gale and Gusto by local school kids. Buoyed by their success, the local co-op that is the owner has since started a solar farm and is looking at micro hydro projects. It has also set up electric vehicle charging stations in league with the local council and community organisations, and together they have committed to make the area a zero net emissions showcase.

Supporting this groundswell is Jarra Hicks, whose Community Power Agency (CPA) advises communities on setting up such schemes. She reckons there are multiple reasons why they make sense.

“We have done national surveys to understand what is driving people on the ground,” says Hicks. “It is a combination of community energy being a unique and beautiful opportunity of building communities, being part of a transition to renewable energy, taking action on climate change and generating local economic benefits. They have to stack up economically. The projects that are up and running are paying returns better than a bank. Projects range from 4% to 10% rates of return.”