There is no doubt energy will feature in the 2025 federal election. Chris Bowen’s announcement that ARENA will fund electrification projects is a sign that the need for local investment is starting to be recognised – let’s make sure every politician knows this over the next few months.
Community energy voices are essential because many of your neighbours and friends haven’t been following the transformation of energy systems as closely as you have. Lot’s of people view change as a negative and feel disempowered by climate and energy changes. There are lots of positive renewable and community energy initiatives happening now, all around us. It helps that you can talk about these examples.
In our survey, most of you said you’d like to promote community energy to the general public, to politicians and to bureaucrats. You also love learning via online events. We’re working on ways to help you do all that and more, so please keep telling us what you need.
We have a couple of great events coming up and our community energy network in NE Victoria will continue to include talks for online audiences, so we look forward to seeing you in these and other energy forums. (And if you’d like to sponsor our Congress – please call!)
Image Credit: Photo from Hepburn wind turbines (Gale and Gusto), from field visit during 2017 Congress
