Activity / Project Stage

What this involves
(in practice)

Relevant experts to engage

What they do / why they matter

Community readiness and engagement

Building understanding, consent processes, and community priorities (FPIC)

Community engagement specialists

Design and run culturally appropriate engagement, ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent processes are followed

Traditional Owner facilitators / cultural advisors

Ensure decisions align with cultural governance, lore, and community protocols

Communications specialists

Develop plain-language materials, visual tools, and community updates

Capacity-building / training providers

Deliver workshops on clean energy, rights, negotiation, governance

Social impact advisors

Assess community needs, risks, and benefits

Clean energy literacy and training

Building knowledge about technologies, markets, and opportunities

Clean energy educators / trainers

Explain solar, wind, batteries, hydrogen etc. in accessible ways

Energy market specialists

Explain how energy markets, pricing, and grid systems work

Workforce development advisors

Identify job pathways, training needs, and local employment strategies

Strategic planning and visioning

Developing a community energy plan or strategy

Strategic planning consultants

Facilitate development of long-term clean energy vision and roadmap

Community energy planners

Develop community energy plans, including demand, supply, and priorities

Economic development advisors

Align clean energy with broader economic goals

Policy advisors

Interpret government policy, incentives, and regulatory settings

Site identification,  resource assessment and technical due diligence 

Understanding what is possible on Country or on buildings

Renewable energy engineers

Assess solar, wind, hydro, or hybrid system potential

Resource assessment specialists

Conduct wind monitoring, solar irradiation studies, etc.

Surveyors / GIS specialists

Map land, tenure, constraints, and infrastructure

Cultural mapping experts

Map cultural values and sensitive areas alongside project planning

Structural engineers / building assessors

Assess whether buildings (e.g. rooftops) can safely support solar installations

Building inspectors / certifiers

Assess compliance with building standards and safety requirements

Feasibility and business case development

Determining whether a project stacks up

Feasibility consultants

Conduct technical, financial, and commercial feasibility studies

Financial analysts / modellers

Build financial models (costs, revenues, returns)

Cost-benefit analysts

Assess broader economic and social value

Risk advisors

Identify project risks (financial, legal, cultural, environmental)

Legal structuring and governance

Setting up the right structures to participate

Lawyers (energy, commercial, native title)

Advise on contracts, agreements, land rights, regulatory compliance

Governance specialists

Design decision-making structures, boards, and accountability frameworks

Corporate structuring advisors

Help establish entities (e.g. trusts, corporations, joint ventures)

Native title / land rights experts

Ensure alignment with land tenure, rights, and agreements

Commercial negotiation with proponents

Negotiating agreements with developers

Commercial negotiators

Lead or support negotiations with developers

Transaction advisors

Structure deals (equity, royalties, lease payments, etc.)

Legal advisors

Draft and review agreements (e.g. leases, joint ventures, CBAs)

Valuation experts

Assess whether offers are fair and competitive

Community benefit agreements (CBAs)

Securing long-term benefits

Community benefit specialists

Design benefit-sharing frameworks (jobs, revenue, infrastructure)

Economic modelling experts

Quantify expected benefits and trade-offs

Monitoring and evaluation experts

Track delivery of benefits over time

Financing and investment readiness

Securing funding or equity participation

Corporate finance advisors

Structure financing (debt, equity, blended finance)

Investment advisors

Assess project bankability and investor requirements

Grant specialists

Identify and apply for funding opportunities

Tax advisors

Structure arrangements to optimise tax outcomes

Grid connection and technical integration

Connecting projects to the energy system

Grid connection engineers

Assess and manage grid connection requirements

Network planners

Understand transmission constraints and opportunities

Power systems engineers

Model system performance and reliability

Environmental and approvals processes

Securing approvals and managing impacts

Environmental consultants

Conduct environmental impact assessments

Heritage specialists

Ensure cultural heritage protection and compliance

Approvals / planning consultants

Navigate state/territory and federal approvals

Project delivery (if leading a project)

Moving from planning to implementation

Project managers

Coordinate timelines, budgets, and delivery

Procurement specialists

Manage tendering and contractor selection

Construction advisors

Oversee build and technical delivery

Ongoing operations and asset management

Managing assets and revenue over time

Asset managers

Oversee performance and maintenance of energy assets

Operations and maintenance providers

Advice on maintaining infrastructure (solar, wind, batteries etc.)

Revenue / contract managers

Ensure agreements are honoured and revenue flows

Representation and advocacy

Acting on behalf of community interests

Community representatives / negotiators

Represent community in dealings with proponents and government

Peak bodies / intermediaries

Provide independent advice and advocacy support