Experience in other countries, such as Canada for example, has demonstrated that First Nations consent, participation, inclusion, ownership and equity can safeguard projects.

A coalition calling for local content requirements in renewable energy projects wants the federal government to embed requirements for locally produced and supplied components into all renewable energy supply chain manufacturing and development.

The group says this will ensure that the energy transition’s benefits resonate through local communities, businesses, workers and “the Australian domestic economy as a whole.”

The coalition includes the AMWU, Weld Australia, the Smart Energy Council, Climate Energy Finance, Climate Capital Forum, and the First Nations Clean Energy Network.

The call for local content comes at a time when unique opportunities are arising as a result of last year’s boost to the Australian government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) and its 32 gigawatts (GW) of tenders for renewable energy capacity.

The coalition of interest groups says that a “measured and considered” local content requirement (LCR) will support the maturation of domestic clean energy and technology supply chains. The coalition believes that now is the time to act to reap the benefits of local content requirements.

Read more of this article first published in PV-Magazine