Large Australian businesses and organisations looking to source renewable energy for their operations will now be able to turn to the nation’s first Business Renewables Centre to help them procure solar or wind energy through renewable Power Purchase Agreements.
The Business Renewables Centre Australia will be a resource centre and an online marketplace platform designed to help Australian corporates, organisations and local councils navigate the renewable energy market.
The $1.74 million initiative has a goal to procure 1GW of installed renewable energy by 2022 and 5GW by 2030.
It will be delivered by the consortium of Climate-KIC Australia, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia and UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures.
The centre will be supported by $500,000 funding provided by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) under its Advancing Renewables Program, and $150,000 each from the New South Wales and Victorian Governments.
The centre draws on the proven model of the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Business Renewables Centre in the USA, to provide members with information, a network of energy buyers and project developers, inexpensive training and advice on power purchase agreement requirements.
UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures director Professor Stuart White said the project team will be applying the successful US model in Australia to give companies the tools and resources they need to make the shift to renewable energy.
“There’s a lot of interest in renewable energy PPAs, but they’re new to Australia and the key decision-makers often lack the information they need,” Professor White said.
Last year, ARENA previously released a report on the Business of Renewables which outlined how Australia’s biggest businesses were falling behind their global peers in transitioning to renewable energy.
The report also found that Australian consumers support businesses making the switch, with more than three quarters of Australian consumers surveyed saying they would buy a product or service powered by renewables over one that wasn’t.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the Business Renewables Centre Australia would have a wealth of knowledge to draw upon.
“The future for energy is a large number of smaller renewable generating facilities often developed by non-generating entities. The Business Renewables Centre will help in that transition in using its vast expertise in running programs, entrepreneurship, innovation, education and other sustainability objectives to make it easier for companies and councils to enter into the renewables market,” Mr Miller said.
WWF Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman said that the Business Renewables Centre Australia will build on the success of WWF’s Renewable Energy Buyers Forum, which now comprises over 230 members organisations, as well as the growth in corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreements in the last 12 months.
“The future of renewables in Australia looks positive because it makes sound business sense. Contracting for long-term renewable energy will save customers money and will support growth in renewable energy infrastructure across Australia,” Mr O’Gorman said.
Climate-KIC Australia CEO Christopher Lee said that the BRC would drive capacity building in the industry.
“We are excited to be collaborating with industry players from small and large scale renewable energy developers, service providers and corporate buyers to build capability across the industry and lower the cost of transactions. Our partners bring a broad breadth of experience and look forward to driving the uptake of renewables,” Mr Lee said.
Leader of RMI's US Business Renewables Center Jon Creyts said the Rocky Mountain Institute is excited to support the extension of the Business Renewables Center from the United States to Australia.
“The BRC Australia platform is the perfect place for any market actor seeking to understand non-utility procurement of renewable energy. We look forward to supporting its progress in speeding the growth of renewable energy in Australia.”
For more information visit businessrenewables.org.au.