{"id":2304,"date":"2017-02-27T06:26:52","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T06:26:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress\/?p=2304"},"modified":"2017-03-03T06:29:35","modified_gmt":"2017-03-03T06:29:35","slug":"australian-first-financial-tool-kit-unveiled-at-community-energy-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/2017\/02\/27\/australian-first-financial-tool-kit-unveiled-at-community-energy-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian-first financial tool kit unveiled at Community Energy Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_full-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_full-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-av_one_full-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c av_one_full  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-0366cc7376be6c9e82a3e9cc8987b64f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.c4ce.net.au\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1317 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed.png\" alt=\"unnamed\" width=\"1136\" height=\"142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed.png 1136w, https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed-300x38.png 300w, https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed-768x96.png 768w, https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed-1030x129.png 1030w, https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed-705x88.png 705w, https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/unnamed-450x56.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1136px) 100vw, 1136px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Australian-first financial tool kit unveiled at Community Energy Congress<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s never been easier for everyday Australians to set up and finance locally-owned renewable energy projects thanks to today\u2019s launch of a financial toolkit.<\/p>\n<p>In Australia, there are already more than 50 community energy projects up and running and demand is growing. Community energy involves a group of people developing, operating and benefitting from their own renewable energy initiatives. They can be formed based on a common interest or geographical location, such as a town or suburb.<\/p>\n<p>Frontier Impact Group has created the toolkit to make it simpler for such to groups to secure funding, and understand the various financial model options available, so that they can take control of their community\u2019s energy use, lower power bills and cut pollution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople keep telling us that a key barrier between getting a project up and running is securing funding, or understanding complex financial models. This toolkit is designed to improve the financial literacy of enthusiastic community energy developers and increase the likelihood their projects are appropriately funded,\u201d said Jennifer Lauber Patterson, Managing Director of Frontier Impact Group.<\/p>\n<p>The toolkit comprises two guidebooks &#8211; the Funding Basics Guidebook and a Behind the Meter Solar PV guidebook \u2013 that were designed in close collaboration with community energy groups that have since managed to successfully fund their projects.<\/p>\n<p>In Australia, \u201cbehind the meter\u201d solar projects are the most likely to be commercially viable, and are easier to replicate. The details of two successful case studies from New South Wales are included: Repower Shoalhaven\u2019s solar photovoltaic (PV) project on a bowling and recreation club, and Pingala\u2019s Young Henry\u2019s Pub solar PV project.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Nockolds, of Pingala, said: \u201cIf the toolkit had been available when we first started our project it would have fast tracked it significantly. We used it at a later stage of the project and it still assisted us in validating our own financial modelling at a lower cost that would have otherwise been possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dan Cowdell, of Geelong Sustainability Group, was also involved in piloting the toolkit and agreed that it would help others fast track their projects at a reduced cost.<\/p>\n<p>The toolkit was developed thanks to a $296,000 grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).\u00a0 It was supported by a steering group that included representatives of ARENA, the NSW Government, Community for Clean Energy (C4CE), Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Community Power Agency and Embark.<\/p>\n<p>Ms Lauber Patterson said that there has already been demand from community energy groups to develop additional guidebooks that explain grid-connected solar PV, bioenergy and wind projects, as well as energy storage projects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have had a lot of demand for the development of workshops to roll out the toolkit which we will be pursuing next.\u00a0 Our thoughts are to develop community champions in utilising the toolkit so that financial literacy is increased and solar projects can be rolled out in shorter timeframes and at lower cost,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>The community energy financial toolkit will be launched at the Community Energy Congress in the Melbourne Town Hall today, and Frontier Impact Group is running a workshop on February 29.<\/p>\n<p>Watch a video explainer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JGYZje7xBoA&amp;feature=youtu.be\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For further details on the workshop, or to download a copy of the toolkit resources go to:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/WWW.frontierimpact.com.au\/resources\">www.frontierimpact.com.au\/resources<\/a><\/p>\n<p>www.embark.com.au<\/p>\n<p><strong>For media inquiries:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Frontier Impact Group &#8211; Jennifer Lauber Patterson on 0431 263 000 or <a href=\"mailto:Jennifer@frontierimpact.com.au\"><strong>Jennifer@frontierimpact.com.au<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Community Energy Congress &#8211;\u00a0 Dinah Arndt on 0425 791 394 or <a href=\"mailto:dinah@climatemediacentre.org.au\">dinah@climatemediacentre.org.au<\/a> or Keryn O\u2019Donnell on 0418 603 663<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fourth-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fourth-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-av_one_fourth-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_one_full  el_before_av_one_half  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding  column-top-margin'     ><\/div><\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_half-0aa7055fe62c3622faec82866afbaeb2\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_half-0aa7055fe62c3622faec82866afbaeb2{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-av_one_half-0aa7055fe62c3622faec82866afbaeb2 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_one_fourth  el_before_av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-0366cc7376be6c9e82a3e9cc8987b64f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h1>Stay informed.<\/h1>\n<p>Join our mailing list and we&#8217;ll keep you up-to-date with the next congress as it approaches.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<form action=\"https:\/\/c4ce.net.au\/congress2017\/2017\/02\/27\/australian-first-financial-tool-kit-unveiled-at-community-energy-congress\/\" method=\"post\"  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