Renewables Sector Volunteers to Build Local Infrastructure, Homes

Renewable energy leaders have issued a call for a new scheme under which wind and solar farms would make payments towards local infrastructure, as legislation looms to mandate that data centres pair with new clean energy . Clean Energy Council chief executive and former Queensland deputy premier Jackie Trad said that operators of renewable energy generation assets would contribute to local councils at a per-megawatt rate. Meanwhile, developers of Renewable Energy Zone facilities are continuing to advocate for better co-ordination of accommodation camps, which provide thousands of temporary homes at costs of up to $80 million per project . Speaking at the Australian Clean Energy Summit in Sydney on July 28, Trad told attendees that a national Renewable Resources Payment scheme would mirror fossil fuel royalties mechanisms. “Regional Australia is being asked to host the machinery of our energy security,” Trad said. “The least we can do is make sure the towns that host it share squarely in the wealth it creates.” The proposal from the CEC, which will be developed in collaboration with regional communities and industry, would “scrap the patchwork” of existing developer and operator contributions. Payments would be hypothecated directly to local councils, Trad said. ▲ Renewables operators would make council contributions on an ongoing basis under the CEC plan. “A mayor knows whether the town needs a pool, a childcare centre, doctor’s rooms or a decent road. And if the money is spent badly, there is a reckoning every four years at the ballot box.” Trad said that a similar scheme developed voluntarily in Queensland’s Isaac Regional Council had proven the success of the model. “I know how this sounds. It is not every day an industry CEO stands at a podium and volunteers to replace the way an entire industry invests in its host communities. I can feel the CFOs in the room clenching from here.” Other discussions at the conference centred around the scheduling mismatch between data centre and energy proponents, with suggestions that mandating new energy supply be provided up-front will delay the development of server sheds. According to Trad, the $155-billion pipeline of data centres in development is larger than the NSW Budget . Wasted potential for co-ordination on camps Noeon NSW development lead Emily Walker told attendees that the experience of the New England Renewable Energy Zone showed that more up-front coordination was needed to manage work camps. “It feels like we’re having this conversation much too late… we could have avoided a sunk cost of potentially ... $40 to $80 million per project to establish an accommodation camp,” Walker said. “One of the fundamentals of the renewable energy zone is working out how we can work together, share data and share costs. I’ll go even further and say that’s an opportunity—we can leave a legacy impact in a community that’s really desperate for housing. ▲ The Merotherie Road camp servicing the Central West-Orana REZ will host 1200 workers at its peak. WestWind Energy chief development officer Marla Brauer said developers could provide positive impact during the construction phase. “We’re actually hearing what you’re saying now, what your concerns are ... we’re going to leave something there that’s going to last forever in the community and help you guys out,” Brauer said. “And those things are daycare, and housing, and things like medical and mental health services.” A 2025 report from the Renewable Energy Alliance investigated different models of temporary worker accommodation. Case studies included refurbishment of an aged-care facility into accommodation; modular housing with long-term potential for permanent residential use; and infrastructure for temporary camps built to permanent standards, enabling later subdivision. ▲ Squadron Energy’s 400-worker camp at Keswick Estate will create permanent infrastructure and civil works for Dubbo local government area. RE-Alliance national director Andrew Bray said that mitigating the effects of temporary housing was “a core requirement for any new development”. “Many regions are already experiencing housing shortages, making this issue particularly pressing for communities expecting multiple, concurrent project developments, bringing many hundreds of workers into local areas,” Bray said. “However… where local communities and local governments are supported, it is possible to go beyond simple impact mitigation and deliver legacy housing outcomes for regional communities.”

Energy & Utilities
Patrick Lau
Thu 30 Jul 26

Renewables Sector Volunteers to Build Local Infrastructure, Homes

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