Regional Australia is on the frontline of the country’s shift to renewable energy. But wind and solar farms aren’t always welcomed. That is not the case in one renewable energy zone in southwest New South Wales. Locals are on board with a proposed project around the town of Hay, brokering a deal they believe can deliver long-term benefits
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00:00On the vast Hay Plain, renewable energy is just over the horizon.
00:10This will be the largest economic and physical change this community has experienced in settlement.
00:16Construction of high voltage transmission lines will make large scale wind and solar
00:21possible with community support and conditions.
00:26We are going to welcome this transition, but you are going to consider us at every
00:30point.
00:31While projects still need final approval, Hayshire Council's negotiated agreements
00:36with developers that include long term housing projects, subsidies for rooftop solar and
00:43cheaper electricity for the whole town.
00:46Residents could receive a $1,000 rebate on their energy bill every year for the next
00:5230 years.
00:54It will actually embed wealth into the whole community.
00:58South of the Murray, Independent MP Helen Haynes is calling on the Federal Government
01:03to help other regions do the same.
01:06We've got to move our mindset away from purchasing social licence from communities into long
01:13term regional development.
01:18In many parts of the country there's been fierce opposition to renewables, but French
01:23multinational NG says that's not the case at Hay.
01:27We received zero local objections, which is extremely rare for an energy project in the
01:31country.
01:34The company wants to build almost 200 wind turbines and 900,000 solar panels plus battery
01:40storage.
01:42Some of the turbines would be on Richard Cannon's land, providing drought proof farm income,
01:47but he wants the benefits to stretch further.
01:50Landholders can see it to their business, the community can see it to support for projects
01:57in Hay, and it's an industry not relying on agriculture.
02:02On the floodplains at Gayini west of Hay, pelicans are feasting.
02:06These environmentally significant wetlands are being restored by the Ngari Ngari Tribal
02:11Council.
02:12It's looking to renewable energy to help fund conservation and social programs for indigenous
02:18youth.
02:19Turn country back to its near natural state and having the financial base to do that,
02:25to have that impact on people and country, that's the biggest outcome you can give.
02:30The wind farm footprint for us is just in here on our boundary.
02:33Partnering with Kalara Energy and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, they plan to build
02:38more than 70 turbines, 30 kilometres away from the wetlands on grazing land.
02:44Less than 1% of renewable energy developments in Australia have indigenous ownership, compared
02:49with 20% in Canada.
02:52This project is showing that traditional owners can not only claim income from hosting turbines,
02:57but share in the equity and the decision making.
03:00It makes us independent and that's what we've thrived to do for many moons and we're not
03:06far off doing it.
03:07Putting the power in the hands of the people.