100% Renewable Communities Program Background

Background of 100% Renewable Communities program:

The pilot project in Newstead transpired as part of Central Victoria Solar City (CVSC). As part of the Australian government’s Solar Cities program, Central Victoria Solar City is studying how hospitals, businesses, schools, individuals and communities use energy and how changes to energy use behaviour and infrastructure can impact overall energy use.

Sustainable Regional Australia, (SRA) was interested in developing a model that would support communities across the country to take a whole of community approach to reducing their electricity consumption and to create their energy locally and renewably.

The concept for the partnership project with small communities emerged in May 2010 from initial discussions between Sustainable Regional Australia (SRA) and community leaders from Newstead.

Newstead raised the idea of tackling energy solutions at their very own “Newstead Summit 2021.” Their proven track record in delivering local projects (community owned swimming pool, community garden and wireless community network) made a perfect fit to partner with CVSC to establish Renewable Newstead. The partnership provided a ‘win win’ opportunity.

Description of the Pilot:

The pilot program sought to test the extent to which small communities can collectively reduce their electricity consumption and work together to create enough renewable energy to supply the town with 100% of their stationary energy needs. More specifically, the goals of the pilot program between Sustainable Regional Australia and Newstead 2021 were to:

a. Support the community of Newstead on the path to generating their own energy, and;

b. Develop a knowledge base to enable other communities to learn from the experience and achieve a similar goal, and;

c. Answer the larger research question: is it cheaper to use a micro-engagement approach to residential energy efficiency than a traditional generic ‘above the line’ market approach?

The “Renewable Newstead” Pilot Project used a Part A, B & C approach to underpin it’s foundation operations:

PART A: Equipping residents and businesses with the knowledge and action plans required to reduce their energy consumption and create renewable energy through the Central Victoria Solar City Household product suite and sub programs.

PART B: Investigating the feasibility of various business models the town might pursue to secure the supply of renewable energy. Part B included the development of a feasibility study, social survey and public workshop for residents to inform them of the various models and recommend one approach. Part B sought to identify the right mix between individual household generation, (solar PV on rooftops) and large scale generation, (solar park or wind farm), and off-sets. This phase supported the community to choose a pathway to become a 100% renewable community.

NOTE: Part B is largely supported by Sustainability Victoria, who allocated $30,000 to SRA, to fund the feasibility study in October 2010.

PART C: Implementation of the pathway to a 100% renewable community developed in Part B. The onus falls on the community based steering committee and wider community to identify their preferred strategy for achieving a 100% renewable community.

The feasibility study has identified innovative finance models to support the development of medium scale renewable asset. This may require some government funding but will aim to secure most support from the community itself.

Some elements of the implementation phase have already been accomplished as participants have chosen to take up PV and/ or Solar Hot Water at any time.

100% Renewable Communities – Future outlook

The Renewable Newstead success to date can largely be attributed to the Newstead Committee providing significant time and resources in facilitating each stage. As Newstead tackles the remaining stages of company formation, capital raising and community–owned energy generation (Part C in original model), their experience will be added to other communities to continually shape the 100% Renewable Communities Program.  SRA looks forward to supporting Newstead as required in the process of choosing a community appropriate pathway and developing a local strategy.

Our future outlook, is to replicate the role that SRA played for the next community. SRA looks forward to their next community partnership.