Blog Nook
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High energy costs hit low-income families the hardest, making renewable energy seem out of reach for those who need it most. But a groundbreaking trial in the Northern Territory is proving that renewable energy can also deliver affordability, equity, and greater Indigenous involvement.
The Sun Boosters trial, led by the National Renewable Network (NRN) and Jacana Energy, is breaking barriers by offering solar and battery systems with no upfront costs. The trial specifically supports 30 social, low-income, and Aboriginal families, helping them transition to renewable energy. But this is just the beginning—the program has the potential to scale, bringing cheaper, cleaner energy to 5,000 households in the region.
NRN founder Alan Hunter isn’t just talking about Indigenous involvement in the renewable energy sector—he’s making it happen. By focusing on practical solutions, this initiative is creating pathways for Indigenous communities to benefit directly from the energy transition.
This project isn’t just about lowering electricity bills or reducing emissions (though it does both). It’s about reshaping energy equity. By eliminating upfront costs and providing access to cutting-edge renewable technology, the Sun Boosters trial ensures no one gets left behind in the shift to clean energy.
Why It Matters
Affordable Energy: Solar and battery systems with no upfront costs make renewable energy accessible to those who need it most.
Indigenous Involvement: The trial empowers Aboriginal families to participate in and benefit from renewable energy initiatives.
Scalable Impact: With the potential to expand to 5,000 households, this project offers a model for energy equity nationwide.
Social and Environmental Benefits: Cheaper electricity, cleaner air, and reduced carbon emissions contribute to broader community and environmental wellbeing.
What’s Next?
The Sun Boosters trial is a game-changer, demonstrating how innovation can address social inequality while driving the renewable energy transition. Scaling up this initiative could serve as a blueprint for integrating equity and Indigenous engagement into energy policy across Australia.
As we move toward a sustainable future, the question remains: Can the energy transition deliver greater Indigenous involvement and equity? Projects like Sun Boosters are paving the way for a resounding “yes.”
#EnergyEquity #RenewableEnergy #SocialImpact #AffordableEnergy #SunBoosters #NorthernTerritory
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🌍 Media organisations absolutely influence political narratives. They wield significant power when they unite around a narrative that captures public attention. BUT… 🤔
There’s no longer a shared understanding of who constitutes “the media,” their role, or how much influence they have. 📉 And often, it’s unclear which narrative is taking hold—or why.
📊 Take the 2024 U.S. presidential election, dubbed the “podcast election.” 🎙️ Joe Rogan’s conversation attracted 33 million views one weekend—more than a dozen appearances across legacy networks like CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News combined.
🖋️ The Atlantic's Charlie Warzel nails this:
"Even when something seemed to matter, it was hard to tell whom it mattered to, or what might happen because of it. When it’s unclear what information everyone is consuming or which filter bubble they’re trapped in, we tend to shadowbox our conception of an imagined audience."
📖 Read more: https://bit.ly/3O0nmUP🗨️ “You are the media now” is powerful because it highlights how difficult it is to know where genuine influence comes from nowadays.
⚖️ While influence may be changing, one thing has stayed the same:
📢 To win the attention game, you have to go where people are and give them a reason to be excited about your agenda.💡 How?
✅ Be Present in Their Conversations: Integrate seamlessly into their environment and engage authentically.
✅ Solve Their Problem: Show how your agenda contributes to solving an issue they care deeply about.
✅ Follow Trends and Show You "Get It": Create material that ties into trending topics while illustrating how your efforts align with their values and hopes in a way that speaks directly to their concerns and inspires action.➡️ Given this was the “podcast election,” what does it take to build influence in unconventional spaces and talk to people where they are?
#Media #Influence #DigitalEra #Communications #PodcastElection -
Today, we were with Energy Networks Australia and Chris Bowen MP to launch the new Federal Parliamentary Friends of the Energy Transition Group. It brings together industry leaders and MPs from across the political spectrum, focusing on making the energy transition simpler and more accessible for everyone.
Co-chaired by Hunter and Gippsland MPs Dan Repacholi and Darren Chester — representing two of Australia’s critical energy regions - the group will explore how proven technologies can provide clean energy while bringing communities on the journey.
Research by LEK shows that optimising the distribution grid could avoid $7 billion in system costs by 2030 alone, while also positioning us to hit our renewables targets.“We absolutely need to make sure we are ‘pulling all levers’,” said Energy Networks CEO, Dominique van den Berg said.
“That includes keeping focused on the large-scale renewable projects and the vital transmission infrastructure we need to connect them. While we do that, it also makes good sense to do everything we can at a local level to bring down bills and provide more services to customers.”
Josh Wilson MP Dominique van den Berg Emma Shanks Lucy Moon Eamonn Fitzpatrick Bruce Hawker Anne Pearson Mark Vincent Tanya Baini Ben Barnes Vida Cheeseman Sarah McNamara Chad Griffith Tim Watkin Fitzpatrick & Co Advisory -
Its so important for people affected by the energy transition benefit from it as well. Renewable energy projects do bring disruption and local impacts - some short term and others longer. For that reason communities affected by the construction deserve a share in the rewards.
So I was struck by this: $70 million is available for the Central West as part of the Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). That’s a lot!
This is a huge opportunity - get involved so the benefits of renewable energy stay local. It's a an opportunity to make it count for you.
Gather your team, organisation, or community group to share in
Local Community Fund: $15 million for projects improving local amenities and community connections.
Local Community Small Grants: $500,000 for small-scale community and First Nations projects.
First Nations Fund: $10 million to empower Aboriginal organisations and create job opportunities.
Legacy Infrastructure Fund: $45 million for councils to deliver infrastructure projects boosting liveability and regional economic development.
Five Grant Writing Workshops are schedule to help secure funding:
https://www.energyco.nsw.gov.au/cebp
#Change #EnergyTransition #CommunityBenefits #SustainableFuture #CentralWestOrana #NSWGovernment
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We know many organizations have gigabytes and terabytes of information spread all across. AI can help make sense of it, use it meaningfully, and save time. This technology is ready now, and I'm helping clients apply it in exciting ways.
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The biggest clean energy budget in Australia’s history is here. 🌱✨ Best of all? Hearing firsthand how the PM is progressing on two of the most important enablers of the transition:
- 🏘️ Community and landholder engagement as new renewables, storage, and transmission are installed across the country – over $20 million. 💰
-🌞🔋 Consumer energy resources like rooftop solar, batteries, and electric vehicles. 🚗⚡
The energy transition is far more than just physical infrastructure - it's a paradigm shift in how we think about and consume energy. 🌍💡
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More choice means customers can vote with their feet by walking down the road and doing business with your competitor. This makes social license more important than ever. 👣
Today’s Financial Review article, "Why Supermarkets ‘Fell Off Their Pedestal’," illustrates that a community investment fund or looking good ahead of reporting season isn't enough. Building trust is about doing what you promise—consistently and treating your customers, employees, suppliers, and investors fairly. It's about making it part of your practices each day, every day. 🤝
A staggering 67% of shoppers consider a company's social license important in determining where they shop, and 48% would switch from brands that didn’t meet expectations on being socially responsible, according to investment bank Jarden. 🔄
Business might be changing, but one thing stays the same—actions always speak louder than words. 📢
#Leadership #BusinessEthics #SocialLicense #CustomerEngagement #SustainableBusiness
🔗 Read More
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It's too easy to focus on weaknesses and what's lacking - in ourselves and the projects we care about😞. But what if we paid equal attention to our strengths and what's working well? Awkward? Keep reading 😊.
We always have inherently good elements to draw on in any circumstance. In ourselves, it is when we feel "all lit up" that we are most likely playing to our strengths 💪 🌟.
Tapping into the strong foundations in every community is make or break in the energy transition. Without this local knowledge, there's no way we can "learn our way to the right solutions".
Focussing on our resources, as individuals and collectively, can help us tackle tricky things with more optimism💡. Skills like tenacity or a strong network count for a lot.
More broadly on energy, pooling our ideas on what's working, or appreciative inquiry, will help us build on what's already strong in communities. 🌍🤝
Could finding a place for that knowledge be the most central part of the energy transition? 🏭🔍
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The NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap is set to shift the state's energy landscape dramatically. And rural communities are eager to be part of the journey - if their voices are heard.
Two pieces of hardly-publicised work bring some great thinking to the discussions.
🌟 The NSW Agriculture Commissioner's Report on Land Use🌟
This report, released in November 2022, addresses land use conflicts between agriculture and renewable energy. This report outlined critical improvements needed to encourage coexistence between the sectors. There’s a lot to like in the recommendations.
One standout is involving local councils and regional organisations in decision-making - giving rural communities a stronger voice in shaping their energy future. The NSW Government has responded positively, and you can read their response here.
🌞 Community Voices: Central West Orana REZ 🌞
Energy Co conducted a comprehensive analysis of community attitudes within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone and released its findings mid-2023. One interesting result is that many agree affordable renewable energy is important for communities hosting the infra in their backyard. More than half viewed community energy projects as very important in addition to solar, batteries, and energy efficiency schemes.
This highlights the importance of integrating community renewable energy initiatives into the overall benefits package for these regions.
🌎 A Collective Effort for a Brighter Future 🌎
To successfully navigate this transition, we need to use these insights to make it much more of a collective effort. Involving local communities in decision-making is pivotal to ensuring that the benefits align with their aspirations for their neighbourhoods.
In the Central West, at least, the community is prepared and eager to lead the way toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. It's our collective responsibility to help make this happen. 💪🔌🌟
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Back when my kids were younger, and I was juggling parenthood with a demanding job, I used to wonder what it would take to win me over if someone proposed building a high-rise apartment complex or a bus depot right next door. 🤔
One thing would have gotten me over the line - convenient and affordable childcare nearby. 😄👶🏡
This has stuck with me, reminding me that every community treasures something unique. It's not a one-size-fits-all, and it's different for every community.
Understanding what is valued most should be a key driver for any project in the energy transition.
🤔 Why Does It Matter?
No matter how environmentally friendly a project may be, it often faces resistance, scepticism, or indifference.
How can we ensure that our energy transition efforts are embraced by the communities hosting the infrastructure in the first place?
The answer lies in acknowledging that every community has distinctive aspirations. Some may be eager to embrace solar energy and share it with neighbours through community batteries, while others may crave skills education to attract new industries and create job opportunities.
💪🗣️The Power of Asking
So, how do we uncover what a community values most? By asking. Our starting point must be that we do not know what is best, and we must seek input from the very people whose lives will be affected.
📢📋 Share Your Examples
Projects rooted in community aspirations not only cater to specific community needs but also foster a sense of ownership and commitment.
Have you seen this done effectively? How did the projects succeed, and what lessons can we learn? Share your thoughts and stories 💬🌟👇
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I'm delving into the subject of change as I work on finishing up post-grad studies.
🧐 This struck a chord:
"If we evaluate behaviour purely in terms of its net benefit for those affected by it, we are not considering how these benefits are distributed." 🤔💭
💡🌍 Meanwhile, also today, Federal Energy Minister, Chris Bowen shared similar thoughts on energy projects in rural areas.
Speaking on Radio National this morning, he emphasised the importance of focusing on what's good for the nation AND ensuring that local communities receive their fair share of the benefits of the transition. 🏡💚
It's a powerful reminder that change needs to be mindful of its impact on everyone involved. Let's keep this conversation going and work towards a future where progress is equitable and people affected by the change share in its benefits. 🌏✨
So, how can landowners and people who live near the assets that need to be built best benefit from the energy transition? Where have you seen this done well? Hit me with your thoughts! 🗣️💬
#Change #EnergyTransition #CommunityBenefits
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Governments and entire industries depend on trust and cooperation from stakeholders and communities to pave the way for the energy transition. It is no easy task.
Here's our mission:
🤝 Bridging the Gap
Clear Cut Communications connects policymakers and project teams with communities, ensuring the transition to a more sustainable future becomes a collective effort. Involving local communities in decision-making is crucial for defining the benefits they want to see in their neighbourhoods.
💡 Energy Transition Made Possible
The energy transition is a crucial and necessary step towards a greener tomorrow. But it can't be achieved without local community support. Clear Cut Communications facilitates open and transparent communication between projects and communities, ensuring everyone's voices are heard.
🏡 Community-Centered Focus
Our goal is to empower communities and enable them to actively participate in shaping their future. We work closely with stakeholders to create meaningful dialogues, identify community needs, and develop strategies that address their concerns.
🔗 Join Us on Our Journey
I am excited to embark on this mission! Join Clear Cut Communications as we strive to build stronger connections between projects and communities, ensuring a sustainable and inclusive transition that delivers benefits people value most.
Stay tuned for updates, exciting projects, and engaging community initiatives that will drive positive change!
https://lnkd.in/e2C2_kc6
#ClearCutCommunications #CommunityEngagement #SustainableFuture #EnergyTransition