Australian farmers and landholders are set for a $1 billion windfall by 2030 if they capitalise on planned development of renewable energy infrastructure around the country. To help, the Albanese Government is delivering new systems and tools so landowners can make better informed decisions on how to benefit from the clean energy transformation.
A key issue identified through the Dyer Community Engagement Review is that landholders participating in the renewables transition don't always have the right information to know what constitutes a fair value for their land's renewable potential; or whether developers approaching them to negotiate potential projects are reputable or not.
In response, the Albanese Government has allocated $500,000 to accelerate development of improved software that delivers independent, detailed assessment about a piece of land's potential in generating renewable energy.
Landholders will be able to access the online tool, built by marketplace platform RELA Australia, free of charge. It will include more comprehensive data from a wide range of new sources to improve benchmarking, and the ability to include farm plans (with preferred exclusion zones identified) in the assessment.
This will enable landholders to make better decisions about fair and appropriate remuneration for hosting renewable energy generation on their land, to inform negotiations with potential project developers.
Funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the project will release software that delivers better, independent information on a piece of land's potential in generating renewable energy.
This will enable landowners to determine the benefit in hosting renewable energy generation on their land and equip them to better negotiate agreements with project developers.
The government is also progressing its new Developer Rating Scheme to encourage best-practice engagement and inform landholders about reputable project developers, as recommended by the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner's Community Engagement Review in 2023.
The pilot stage of the Scheme has now opened for registrations of interest from developers who wish to participate in further design and testing of the scheme.
The voluntary scheme will provide transparency over the types of people landholders are dealing with when it comes to renewable development. An underlying theme from the Community Engagement Review was the concern of landholders that they want to know that they are having good-faith discussions with developers.
The new Scheme is being developed with input from all levels of government, landholders, community organisations, industry bodies and renewable energy and transmission project developers.
At least 24 medium and large-scale generation and transmission developers have already expressed an interest in working with the Stakeholder Reference Group to finalise details for the Rating Scheme. This includes Goldwind, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Ark Energy and EnergyAustralia.
The Developer Rating Scheme will be voluntary, but for farmers negotiating with potential development partners, knowing developers have opted in to be assessed is powerful information about who they're dealing with.
The first phase of the Scheme is expected to be operational from 1 July. Additional design work will be undertaken for Stage 2 of the ratings scheme with further assessment of good social licence engagement in due course.
Improved mapping resources for landholders goes toward recommendation 3 of the review, to improve mapping to deliver more considered land use. The Developer Ratings Scheme meets Recommendation 1 of the Review.
Comments from the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen:
"The renewable transition can unlock new wealth and opportunities for farmers now, and for generations to come.
"To ensure this happens equitably we want landholders to have access to the best possible data to make informed decisions about who they negotiate with, and the potential of their land.
"The Coalition spent 10 years ignoring calls to make the necessary reforms to improve how essential energy projects are rolled out in regional communities. The Albanese Government is committed to striking the right balance between supporting the renewables rollout and farming, through genuine community engagement and long-term local benefits."
