Community Power Agency’s Community Energy Incubator program has received a funding boost from the NSW Community Energy Activation Program (CEAP).
Community Power Agency is one of 12 community and not-for-profit energy organisations that will share $4.7 million from the CEAP, which aims to support community organisations to expand the critical support they provide.
Related article: Incubator to unlock community ownership of mid-scale solar
Launched in October 2025, Community Power Agency’s Community Energy Incubator is a pilot program designed to unlock investment in mid-scale community energy projects and empower local groups to move their projects from early feasibility to investment readiness.
With support from the NSW Government, Community Power Agency will expand the Incubator’s training and mentoring for community groups developing their own solar farm projects.
Community Power Agency director Kim Mallee said, “The CEAP funding will accelerate our participating NSW community energy projects through sharing knowledge and avoiding pitfalls to deliver affordable energy outcomes, local resilience and long-term community benefit.
“Mid-scale community energy projects are a triple win. They unlock the ‘missing middle’ of the distribution network, making use of existing, underutilised infrastructure. They put locals in the driver’s seat, giving communities the ownership and agency they’ve been calling for. And by centering community benefits and creating real opportunities for locals, these projects foster social licence.”
Community Energy Incubator participant and president of the Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance Kathryn Maxwell said, “Our community has wanted to develop a mid-scale solar farm for years, but there’s no support to level the playing field in the utility-scale space.
“The Incubator is exactly what’s needed—practical, hands-on support to help communities realise their energy ambitions.”
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More information about the Community Energy Incubator program is available here.
