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Healesville and District Community Energy: The Local Power Plan


Event Details


We are delighted to welcome Dr Helen Haines, Independent Federal MP for Indi, who will present the Local Power Plan she has developed: a vision to create a viable community energy sector throughout Australia with Federal Government support. Dr Haines will outline the benefits this Plan could bring to local communities such as Healesville and to local community energy groups such as Healesville CoRE

The plan was developed with a strong community co-design process involving over 100 community energy groups throughout Australia in 2020, to which Healesville CoRE contributed. The resulting Local Power Plan crystalizes how communities can actively participate in the development and ownership of renewable energy resources and how this vision can be supported by Federal Government. At the time of writing this program, the Local Power Plan was scheduled to be presented by Dr Haines to the Federal Parliament on 22 February 2021.

In addition, Komo Energy, Healesville CoRE’s new technical development partner, will present our collective vision for a microgrid for Healesville and district, outlining what the microgrid could look like and how it can be structured and financed with real community participation and ownership.

The directors of Komo Energy, Gerald Arends and Jonathan Prendergast, will explain how a Healesville microgrid can be isolated during grid disruptions from the main grid. So, in times of emergency, such as in a bushfire, essential services can continue to function.

Guest speakers:

  • Dr Helen Haines – Independent Federal MP for Indi
  • Gerald Arends & Jonathan Prendergast – Directors of Komo Energy

We are pleased to announce that this event will be opened by Cr Fiona McAllister, Mayor of Yarra Ranges Council and Councillor for Ryrie Ward.