There is so much change going on in Australia and the rest of the world. Sometimes it can be quite overwhelming.
One of the great problems we have as a community and as a society is to be able to guarantee that the information we are getting is factual and from a reputable source. If you are from a particular side of politics, you tend to believe what that side is saying. If you are on social media, your feed ends up being what reinforces your view. We all end up in our little bubbles and it is often easier to stay there rather than risk the opposition that invariably comes of speaking up.
I have been very vocal in support of renewable industries being established in areas where fossil fuel industries will close. I am not saying they will close immediately, but it is far too late to wait until the closure of a coal mine, for instance, to say we need to establish a major industry so those workers are not lost to our communities. When I have said this, the response has varied from “Yes, that is desperately needed” to “You are an idiot, a blow-in and are trying to destroy our community”. People are using all sorts of platforms and strategies to stifle views different to those they endorse.
I could be right or totally wrong, depending on your view. Such is the polarisation – and the almost non-existent opportunity for debate –
in our country at the moment.
Last year groups nationwide put a proposal to the government for Local Energy Hubs. Fifty hubs Australia-wide are being proposed and will need to be funded by governments. They are a wonderful initiative for communities to be able to access facts about all aspects of renewable initiatives and how households can reduce energy costs. They can be anything from a shopfront to a mobile information centre, depending on a community’s needs.
Several features make the hubs very appealing. They will be independent of government influence and staffed by trusted locals. They will have information on all renewable initiatives being proposed for our area and across the nation, so we know what is happening and how we fit into the grand plan.
They will only have information on renewables from trusted scientific institutions and groups that are genuinely concerned for the environment. This could be the latest Greenpeace report on the interaction of offshore wind farms and whales,
or what is happening with community batteries, which will help everyone but especially those who cannot afford rooftop solar.
Hubs will also give people the chance to go to a safe space to get the information they need. Hubs will also have information about communities that have negotiated great benefits from renewables for their area, and tips on how to work together to get those benefits by talking to the companies that own and operate the renewables. These are all things that are just so hard to find out about at the moment without getting a biased opinion.
Yes, Local Energy Hubs are about Renewables. The Illawarra region has also been declared a REZ or Renewable Energy Zone, so renewables are definitely coming. A Local Energy Hub here will help us understand what is coming and how people can transition to or find work in one of these emerging industries.
About the writer
Darryl Best began in mines as an apprentice electrician, ending his career in senior management roles at Dendrobium, Wongawilli and Russell Vale. Darryl has witnessed the ups and downs of the coal industry and seen what happened to miners in the UK and the US. He is passionate about establishing renewable industries in areas where fossil fuel industries will eventually close as we transition to cleaner energy sources. Darryl is married, with three children and four grandchildren. He serves on the board of Hi Neighbour, loves the environment, his native garden and the Wollongong lifestyle.
