Call for Funding of Renewable Energy Hubs

More than 50 organisations, including Repower Shoalhaven  have issued an Open Letter to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, urging the Federal Government to urgently fund a network of Local Energy Hubs across Australia.

“Dear Minister Bowen,

The recent federal election result was a resounding endorsement of the Government’s plan to transform our energy system from polluting fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise regional economies, create thousands of jobs, and meet the Government’s net zero target.

But the way things are being done right now is putting this goal at risk.

Communities in rural and regional areas where the shift to renewables is taking place are increasingly frustrated. People are crying out for trusted information about what this change means for them, and how they can have their say about what is happening where they live.

This is fueling growing opposition to renewable energy projects. Many are experiencing significant delays and cost blow-outs; some have been scrapped altogether. It’s clear that investing in and engaging communities isn’t a barrier to building renewable energy, it’s a precondition for it.

That’s why we have been calling on the Federal Government to fund a network of 50 Local Energy Hubs in renewable energy regions, to provide vital information and support to communities navigating renewable energy, from the small stuff to the big stuff.

These hubs would be outreach centres staffed by trusted locals where people could go to understand big energy projects in their region, what the benefits flowing into the region could look like, and how to access the benefits of renewable energy to cut power bills in their own homes, farms and businesses.

Minister, what happens in the next five years is critical. Without urgent government action, the shift to renewable energy will not happen at the speed and scale required, undermining the urgency of this moment.

It’s time for the Government to invest in the people at the centre of the shift to renewable energy, by funding Local Energy Hubs.”