Developing the nation's first resource centre and online marketplace platform to accelerate the purchasing of off-site, large-scale wind and solar energy.
In the last two years large businesses such as Telstra, Coca-Cola, ANZ, Carlton United Brewery, as well as state and local governments and universities, have been signing deals to buy power from solar and wind farms.
However, to date most deals have required bespoke agreements negotiated by major energy users with high transaction costs.
According to ARENA, Australia’s biggest businesses are falling behind their global peers in transitioning to renewable energy. The 2017 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.
About the project
Timeframe: 2018-19
Funders: Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), New South Wales Government and Victorian Government
The UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF), in collaboration with Climate-Kic Australia and WWF Australia, are building the Business Renewables Centre-Australia (BRC-A) to simplify renewable energy purchasing for businesses.
Our goal is to streamline and accelerate renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to help Australian organisations procure 1 gigawatt of renewable energy by 2020 and 5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030.
The BRC-A will draw on the proven model of the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Business Renewables Centre in the USA to provide Australian organisations with:
- an on-line marketplace platform and events to make it easier to for buyers and sellers of renewable energy to connect;
- guides, primers, templates and training on how to do renewable energy power purchase agreements;
- information on the latest market developments.
BRC-A is a member-based organisation (free for organisations interested in buying renewable energy).
To join or find out more information, please visit businessrenewables.org.au.
News and media
Online renewable marketplace aims to help business cut power bills
Sydney Morning Herald/The Age
16 October 2018