Partnerships are an essential element for community energy initiatives. Community groups often seek collaborations with different stakeholders including commercial developers or retailers, local governments, or other community initiatives or not for profit organisations. In addition, collaborations with research institutes can also provide added value for local community energy initiatives - for example providing assistance for technical and economic assessments. Your distribution network provider (DNSP) is also an important partner.

You may want to consider the following organisations for partnerships:

• Your local council

• Your local distribution network service provider

• Consider other community energy groups in your region - you can find them on the map of community energy groups

• An electricity retailer - some projects will need a retailer to be involved. Indigo Power, Mondo, and Energy Locals have all partnered with community energy groups.

Here are some examples of possible partnerships:

• Community-developer partnership: either the community or a renewable energy developer takes the initiative to start a renewable energy project, and both parties mutually agree to collaborate as partners. The community often leads the community engagement/consultation, and the developer leads the technical studies. Both the developer and community members own and invest in the project, to varying degrees and receive dividends according to the proportion of shares owned. Often, the developer owns most of the shares and holds most of the decision-making power. An example is Sapphire Wind Farm, which enable a large-scale, public, community investment into a utility-scale wind farm.

• Community-council partnership: the initiative is usually taken by the community group. The benefit of a community-council partnership is the opportunity to access council resources, such as premises or land to install a renewable energy system. An example is Lismore Community Solar Farm, a floating solar installation at the local sewage plant, which was co-funded by the towns community.

• Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP): your DNSP is an important partner when it comes to getting energy data or connecting projects. if your project could help solve network problems in your area it is a good idea to start conversations with your DNSP.

• Partnering with a retailer - you will need a retailer partner if your project involves selling electricity, or billing customers for electricity. There many different models for working with retailers (see for example Create a White-Label Retailer and Set up a Power Purchasing Agreement)

Other Resources

Partnerships Analysis Tool - developed by VicHealth to assess partnerships both during the planning stage and when they are in operation. Health service focus but widely applicable.