3 Community Power Projects developed in South

Australia with wide application

1st World Community Power

Conference
Fukushima, 3 November 2016
Monica Oliphant Past President ISES,
Adj A/Prof University of South Australia and
Patron CORENA

Introduction
Community Power is the term used to describe the wide range of
ways that communities can develop, deliver and benefit from
sustainable energy projects.

This talk will look at 3 quite different types of projects:

Crowd Funding CORENA (Citizens Own RE Network Australia)
Local Government initiated projects in South Australia
Local Embedded Networks Retirement Village

Crowd Funding CORENA

Quick Win and Big Win Projects
Quick Win Projects

How Quick Win Project works

Big Win Projects

Contributions are used to provide

interest-free loans to community
organisations to pay for solar
installations and energy efficiency
measures. They repay the loan over
time out of the savings on their power
bills, and their repayments help fund
subsequent Quick Win Projects.
http://corenafund.org.au/

CORENA
(Quick Win Revolving Fund Projects)
Funding can be
sought by a nonprofit organisation
that provides a
community service
(Donations are tax deductible)

Each $100 contributed to our first Quick Win project grew to an effective value of $179 in the first 2 years

Local Government South Australia Project

Simple Objectives
To work with Local Government to: Develop an ethical investment that increases the
penetration of solar within the community
Gives a return greater than the current bank rate
Requires no subsidy
Is easy to implentment and
Is transposable to any location

Community projects on Local Government Buildings

How does it work?

Council provides roof-space on a suitable property

PV system is sized to fit space and load
Local co-operatives are formed
$600 shares are sold to pay for installation
Council leases the PV installation
Co-operative members get an annual return on
investment
Capital returned to members after 10 years
PV system becomes property of Council after 10 years
SOUNDS SIMPLE!!

2013 2016 Progress towards a Trial

Challenges

3 tariff changes in 3 years, from energy tariff

only, to min stepped demand, to agreed demand
cost reflective pricing
3 model changes plus adding energy efficiency
initiatives to provide an investment return
Councils saw an opportunity through the model
to reach their financial and environmental
objectives without direct Community
engagement and savings have potential to be
used on other local community projects.

Initial Community project was to

be for a Local Government
Leisure Centre
Not built yet in 2013
Current Situation
A model was developed for other
No Council Community program, but Leisure
Local Government buildings.
Centre now built and is considering a solar
Funding was secured to develop
project without community
project
Other Groups now interested in using Model

Local Embedded Networks

Retirement Village

64 homes and a Community Centre that are all electric except for gas water heating
One Central Head Meter plus separate home meters connected the to head meter.
Only a few small homes have PV systems

Embedded Networks
Mild day April
50

kVA

40
30
20
10

0:30
2:00
3:30
5:00
6:30
8:00
9:30
11:00
12:30
14:00
15:30
17:00
18:30
20:00
21:30
23:00

Village has low daytime load - excess PV will charge batteries with part
of excess fed back to homes at night
If a blackout occurs then embedded network will separate from grid
and homes will run on the battery power

Acknowledgements
CORENA:
Margaret Hender who developed the concept and is project
Director- plus many volunteers
Local Government Project:
Co worker Trixie Smith. Funding from: Campbelltown Council, Local
Government Association SA, ARENA (Australian RE Agency),
RenewablesSA and Bendigo Bank
Local Embedded Networks:
At time of presentation positive discussions are continuing with the
Retirement Village Residents, their Centre Management and SA
electricity distributor SA Power Networks