The Western Australian Government has released the Draft Guideline on Community Benefits for Renewable Energy Projects in response to calls local governments, industry, and communities for guidance.
Related article: Sanderson named energy minister for Western Australia
Renewable energy proponents have signalled their willingness to invest in community benefits but have expressed a desire for government to introduce broad guidelines to set clearer and more consistent expectations around these benefits.
The Guideline is intended to provide industry with greater investment certainty and offer a starting point for discussions to frame sensible arrangements that balance benefit for the local community with the affordability of energy, recognising that benefits from renewable energy generation infrastructure such as wind turbines, solar farms, and batteries may not be experienced in proportion to the impact on the local area.
The aim is to make the process for community consultation simpler for everyone involved.
The principles of the Draft Guideline are applicable across WA, but the approach outlined is most relevant to projects intending to connect to the South West Interconnected System.
The Draft Guideline can be found on the Energy Policy WA website. Consultation on the guideline closes on 4 August 2025.
WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said, “The Draft Guideline provides support for the community and renewable energy developers to achieve sensible arrangements that balance benefit for the local community with the affordability of energy.
Related article: Western Australia scores four big batteries through CIS
“I am pleased to have worked with WALGA to understand the needs of local governments, and to hear from them today as we launch this Draft Guideline. The Cook Government is working hard to ensure the benefits of the energy transition are spread throughout Western Australia. The Draft Guideline is one way of achieving that.”
