Submission on the draft New England Renewable Energy Zone Access Scheme

CPD’s submission makes four key recommendations.

1. There should be minimum standards for community engagement and benefit-sharing for all renewable energy and transmission projects in NSW.

   CPD strongly supports the “whole-of-REZ” approach outlined in the draft Access Scheme. However, for maximum effectiveness, it would make sense to require all renewable energy developers in NSW to provide a minimum level of benefit-sharing and community engagement. This would ensure all communities can benefit from renewable energy projects, as well as ensuring developers were not incentivised to locate outside REZs to avoid red tape and access fees.

2. To be eligible for the Access Control Mechanism, developers should be required to achieve four stars for the “community” criteria in the Developer Rating Scheme.

   CPD supports the use of the Developer Rating Scheme as a starting point for measuring a proponent’s track record when it comes to positively engaging with communities. However, to incentivise best practice in regards to community engagement, the eligibility criteria should require developers to achieve a rating of at least four stars – not three – for the “community” criteria. This would push developers to engage more meaningfully, including demonstrating that stakeholder input has shaped project design, and build shared value.

3. The Cumulative Impacts Obligation in the Access Scheme should be designed to encourage participation by developers with EnergyCo’s regional steering committees.

   While CPD supports requiring developers to make commitments towards social licence, community engagement, benefit sharing, and managing cumulative impacts, however it is currently not entirely clear what the commitments would require developers to do to satisfy them. CPD recommends requiring developers to achieve specific and measurable outcomes for communities to satisfy the commitments, for example engaging with and participating in the work of EnergyCo’s regional steering committees.

4. EnergyCo should ensure developers engage meaningfully and share value with communities over time by enforcing the eligibility criteria and commitments through Project Development Agreements.

   EnergyCo should introduce mechanisms to enforce and monitor the behaviour of renewable energy developers over time, ensuring that their projects continue to benefit communities. The eligibility criteria and commitments should be enforced through Project Development Agreements that developers are required to sign with EnergyCo.