For years, renewable energy projects have largely been assessed, by both industry and government, on an individual basis.

• Can the project achieve approval?

• Can environmental impacts be managed?

• Can land access be secured?

• Can the infrastructure be delivered?

But across parts of regional NSW, something is changing.

Communities are no longer evaluating projects individually. They are evaluating the combined impact of an entire energy transition happening around them.

And that shift may become one of the most important strategic challenges facing the renewable energy sector over the next decade, as Principal – Engagement and Social Planning Alysia Bradshaw explains.

As Australia’s renewable energy rollout accelerates so are expectations from communities, landholders and regulators. The challenge is no longer just building projects quickly. It’s about building them well, responsibly, and with trust. That’s the context behind the Australian Government’s Developer Rating Scheme (DRS).

More data doesn’t fix community concern. In fact, it can often make it worse.

In many projects across QLD and NSW, the instinctive response to community resistance is to provide more information. We release more studies, more technical detail, more reports. On paper, this makes sense. If people are concerned, surely better data will resolve the issue.

The race to roll out renewable energy in NSW is reshaping regional communities but many residents and councils in renewable energy zones (REZ) are reaching breaking point. These projects promise cleaner power, new jobs, and regional investment. Yet, for those living within REZs, the constant stream of consultation has become overwhelming. Principal Engagement and Social Planning Alysia Bradshaw explains.

Hosting large-scale renewable projects can be a tough pill to swallow for many regional communities. In addition to environmental impacts, there are increasing concerns about the impact-benefit imbalance.

Anxiety and uncertainty within a hosting community can very quickly transform into project opposition, bringing both significant challenges and added time and costs to project approvals.

When it comes to project management, we know that good record-keeping is a must. We track budgets and deliverables, milestones and hold points. We have project control groups and RFI registers and every process to ensure we meet our timeframes. But how are you capturing your stakeholder interactions?

With Australia’s 2030 climate targets looming, the energy transition conversation is ramping up.

When in industry conversations with our colleagues, clients and peers, three key themes often arise, so we thought we’d share them.