I really want to see us put renewables into remote community energy systems and reduce the amount of diesel that we’re burning.
Not only is diesel bad for the environment, but it's also noisy, it's also smelly, and it's impacting air quality in communities.
So there's a number of reasons why we really need to look at reducing the runtime of diesel generators.
Ruby Heard, one of our fabulous steering group members, and founder of Alinga Energy further told ABC Kimberley this week that we still see a lot of First Nations communities being powered by diesel generators throughout remote Australia.
“You know, solar has been more economically viable than diesel for quite a while now. But we haven't seen that flow through to our communities.
"There's over 3 million solar rooftops in Australia. But very few of these are in remote Indigenous communities. We're still burning a lot of diesel. It's expensive. It's inefficient.
"We could see a lot more greater penetration of solar into these systems."
As the First Nations Clean Energy Network noted in a recent submission to government, replacing diesel generation with renewable energy demonstrably reduces emissions, improves air quality, reduces the cost of electricity for First Nations households in a community, and improves the reliability and resilience of electricity supply.
For many communities in remote locations on the forefront of extreme weather and climatic events, advancing renewable energy projects is a means to drastically improve energy security and energy reliability.
To achieve this outcome, and improve community and household well-being, energy security, community resilience and reduce the cost of supply of electricity, we recommended that investment be directed towards funding:
- First Nations-led community energy solutions to build energy and climate-resilient First Nations communities and reduce the cost of electricity supply.
- Diesel Reduction Initiatives that research and coordinate a national approach to harness local clean energy resources that will improve human and environmental health and to contribute to economic independence and job creation.
We advocated for the facilitation of First Nations community energy projects (including a diesel switching program) that include:
- Developing and properly funding a program aimed at reducing diesel reliance in remote First Nations communities
- Reforming energy system rules to provide First Nations communities with the right to develop and generate their own electricity, and obligate utilities to enter into long-term off-take agreements when the project reduces the costs of servicing the community by an agreed percentage (e.g.by 20%). Once a diesel switching strategy and network connection reforms are in place, introduce energy sovereignty initiatives that empower communities to generate their own electricity, and promote greater control over their own energy sources and strengthen resilience.
This will help ensure First Nations people play a central role in and harness the opportunities from Australiaʼs clean energy transition at a local level for improved climate resilience, emissions reduction and energy reliability.