Community energy advocates give evidence as energy bill goes to public hearing 

MORE THAN  20 community energy advocates will today provide evidence in support at a public hearing for the inquiry into the Australian Local Power Agency (ALPA) Bill 2021 and Australian Local Power Agency (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021.

The House of Representatives standing committee on the Environment and Energy will hear the bill introduced in Parliament by Dr Helen Haines MP in February this year, and referred to the committee for inquiry and report.

The Bills would establish the Australian Local Power Agency (ALFA) to support the development of community energy projects in Australia and the involvement of regional communities in local renewable energy developments.

Jarra Hicks, director of Community Power Agency said, “As investment in renewable energy continues to boom, there is a unique opportunity to deliver jobs, savings and income to regional Australia.

“We have to ensure that regional Australia, where the investment and build-out of renewable energy is happening, sees the long term benefits,” Dr Hicks said.

The ALPA Bill provided a blueprint for proposed funding and technical support for everyday communities to develop their own small-scale renewable projects, as well as community energy hubs. It also proposed a requirement that would see any large renewable energy project in Australia offer the local community a chance to co-invest in that project. 

Speaking at the hearing today, Dr Hicks said the ALPA Bill could catalyse significant and lasting value for the government, communities and the broader renewable energy transition. 

“In addition to positive environmental impacts, community energy projects can create a range of local benefits such as local economic development, local procurement, returns on investment to local shareholders, increased energy affordability as well as a range of social outcomes stemming from active participation,” she said.

“The ALPA Bill could magnify these outcomes 1,000-fold across the nation. While Australia has household level programs and programs targeting large projects and big industry, mid-scale, community-based sectors are the  missing piece in Australia.”

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