Renewable Projects to Turbo-Charge Innovation – NFP
2 June 2016 at 11:26 am
Energy sector Not for Profit, Community Power Agency (CPA) has welcomed the ALP’s re-commitment to spend almost $100 million on creating up to 10 community power hubs saying it will help turbo-charge innovation across the country.
CPA said the hubs would support the establishment of local renewable programs such as community owned solar and wind.
CPA founding director Nicky Ison said it was clear the ALP had been listening to the community energy sector, which is already leading the transition to a clean energy future, with over 70 groups developing innovative local power projects.
“Community power is a win-win-win. It is good for local economies, the environment, and can help address social issues such as energy affordability,” Ison said.
“The combination of 10 Community Power Hubs and competitive grants will support community energy in Australia to follow in the footsteps of countries like Germany, where 47 per cent of all installed renewables is owned by citizens and communities.”
The CPA said that it is leading a new grassroots election campaign, Smart Energy Communities, calling on all political parties to get behind community energy.
The campaign called on government to kickstart new community energy projects and build a network to offer legal and technical advice.
“It makes good economic sense for all political parties to back community power projects. They help households, small businesses and community services cut their power bills, they help clean up our energy system and they also create much-needed jobs in regional communities,” Ison said.
“With 24 community energy groups in marginal seats like Page, Corangamite, Brisbane and Gilmore this is a popular policy and a potential vote winner. Marginal electorate MPs have a golden opportunity to boost innovation.”
CPA said the ALP’s Community Power Network and Regional Hubs announcement follows the policy outlined in GetUp and Solar Citizens’ Homegrown Power Plan, of which Nicky Ison was a co-author.
Are these in the form of subsidies or grants to buy solar panels or RECS or to invest in a renewable reject. We have to ensure the benefits can be widely spread than just captured at the local level.