Community Power Agency, an independent advisor to the energy co-op sector, has released a new resource, Power in Partnership: A guide to developing a community stake in renewable energy.
The guide, designed to help communities, developers and governments embed genuine partnership and shared ownership into renewable energy projects, sets out nine models for community participation, drawing on case studies from Australia and overseas, and provides clear steps for implementation.
Drawing on 18 months of research and collaboration with renewable energy developers, local and state government stakeholders, advocacy organisations and community members, it features 23 case studies from Australia and around the world, “illustrating how community partnership models are being implemented in practice and what lessons they offer for projects in Australia”.
It also provides practical information for developers, policymakers and communities interested in delivering partnership models in renewable energy projects.
The guide has been welcomed by national apex the Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals, which said: “Co-operatives and mutuals have long demonstrated that community ownership builds trust, supports local economies and ensures the benefits of renewable investment stay in regional areas.
“The new guide offers a structured pathway to expand these approaches at scale.”
Across Australia, a growing number of co-operatives and community groups are putting shared‑ownership models into practice, adds BCCM. Hepburn Energy in Victoria remains a benchmark for community-owned wind generation, while Ngardara Cooperative in the Northern Territory is progressing a solar microgrid to replace diesel generation in Borroloola. In New South Wales, the Goulburn Community Energy Cooperative has developed a medium-scale solar and battery project through local investment. Initiatives such as Cooperative Power, Pingala’s rooftop solar investment programme in Sydney and the Denmark Community Wind Farm in Western Australia show the breadth of models emerging across the country.
“These examples demonstrate strong community appetite for involvement,” said BCCM, “but they also highlight the need for clearer, more consistent policy settings to support participation in mid to large-scale projects.
“Power in Partnership provides a timely national resource to help bridge that gap, offering evidence, models and practical tools for embedding community ownership into the transition.
“BCCM welcomes this contribution and encourages members to explore the Guide as a way to strengthen community participation and expand co-operative approaches in Australia’s clean energy future.”
