Community Power Hubs Program

The $3.73 million Community Power Hubs program accelerated Victoria’s transition to a renewable energy future. Based in each of Victoria’s regions, the hubs worked closely with their communities to offer trusted advice on clean energy solutions and supported, developed and delivered locally owned, cost-effective renewable energy projects.

The program empowered communities to be active participants in planning and decisions around the transition to renewable energy and enabled local environmental, social and economic benefits to be realised, including cost savings for local communities. It also boosted Victoria’s renewable energy capacity and worked towards meeting Victoria’s target of zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The delivery of this program to each region in Victoria was an expansion of the successful 3-year Community Power Hubs Pilot Program, which developed 3 hubs in Ballarat, Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley from 2017.

Lead Partner Organisations

Applications opened in March 2021 for eligible not-for-profit organisations or social enterprises across Victoria to apply to lead a Community Power Hub.

Seven organisations were successful and announced in July 2021:

• Geelong Sustainability Group – Barwon South West.
• Gippsland Climate Change Network – Gippsland.
• Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions – Grampians.
• Healesville CoRE – Greater Yarra Valley and Ranges.
• Indigo Power in partnership with Goulburn Valley Community Energy – Hume.
  
• Bendigo Sustainability Group – Loddon Mallee.
• Yarra Energy Foundation – metropolitan Melbourne.

Implementation ready projects

In addition to funding the establishment and operation of the Community Power Hubs, the program funded community renewable energy projects at 16 sites to be delivered by their respective regional Community Power Hub:

• Bendigo Foodshare.
• Bendigo Woolen Mills.
• Coronet Bay Community Hall.
• Geelong YMCA.
• Gormandale Community House.
• Hazeldenes Bald Hills.
• Hazeldenes Lanecorie.
• Heyfield Wetlands Information Centre.
• Lucknow Football Netball Club.
• Mallacoota Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct.
• Moyola Aged Care Tatura.
• Neerim South Hospital.
• Venus Bay Community Centre.
• Yarragon Church.
• Yea Community Shed.