Without community support, the green energy transition will fail. Here’s how to get communities on board

• The problem is, communities are often not sold on having to host new transmission lines.
• In my research, I work with RE-Alliance, a community organisation working to help local communities actually benefit from the energy transition.
• Projects are much more likely to succeed when communities feel the project is theirs or includes them.

Community pushback could scupper the green transition

• Around 300 wind, solar and transmission projects are being delayed by local opposition, stalling A$132 billion of investments and 74,000 jobs.
• Communities can bristle if they feel a project is imposed on them – especially if it feels like a cost without benefits.
• Developers who engage with communities from the beginning and work to tackle concerns and issues collectively have a better chance of success.

Focus on local benefits

• But some local residents are strongly sceptical of transmission projects, which means some renewable projects can’t proceed.
• As the organisation’s CEO Chris Souness told me:
  Renewable energy will thrive [in this region] if developers and communities collaborate, the interests of the farming communities and rural towns are supported, and the benefits flow to communities.
• Renewable energy will thrive [in this region] if developers and communities collaborate, the interests of the farming communities and rural towns are supported, and the benefits flow to communities.
• Others worried wind and solar farms could damage the local environment.

How do we do better when time is so short?

• The conundrum we face is we know we need to do better, but we have only a narrow window of time to green the grid.
• One avenue is to focus on the long-term prosperity of these projects, both for landowners hosting them and for the broader community.
• For farmers battling increasingly volatile growing and grazing conditions due to climate change, renewables offer new income streams.

• The federal government must find ways of better communicating their plans at local level.
• Explain why we need to do this, what the benefits are to communities, and why transmission is key.
• The government could consider a CSIRO-based research centre focused on environment, technology and social outcomes in the energy transition.

Dr Simon Wright is a member of RE-Alliance, a not-for-profit renreable advocacy organisation focused on the clean energy transition in the regions.