Getting Australian businesses and local governments primed for their renewable energy future

Now in its seventh year, the BRC-A initiative is a partnership between the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) and Climate-KIC Australia. Its mission is to support Australian businesses and councils to purchase renewable electricity, especially via PPAs, to decarbonise both Australian industry and our electricity grid.  
 
This month, the BRC-A team travelled to Brisbane to deliver a Corporate Renewable PPA & Community Benefits Training Bootcamp to its largest ever group of large energy user businesses and councils. 
 
The training not only covered how  participating large energy user organisations can negotiate PPAs – long-term contracts with energy sellers – to their best advantage; it also covered how these contracts can provide a vehicle to deliver genuine and meaningful community benefits to regional host communities, such as jobs, training programs, biodiversity rehabilitation and other social, environmental and economic outcomes and supporting community resilience .  
 
The Bootcamp featured case study presentations from industry leaders who have successfully navigated the PPA process, including representatives from NBN Co, IAG, buyers’ group leaders and several local governments from across Australia . 

With more than 40 participants in attendance, the Bootcamp delivered support for thousands of GW hrs of renewable energy purchasing by industry collectively, and tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions reductions.  
 
The Bootcamp was part of a project funded by the Queensland Government. It kicked-off in mid-2024 with 10 introductory PPA training workshops delivered in-person and online delivered across the Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) regions. 

To complement the Bootcamp, the BRC-A team will also produce a guide to purchasing renewables and delivering community benefits in Queensland – releasing shortly. It addresses the unique hurdles Queensland business buyers face when purchasing renewable energy and encourage best practice.   

See more about the BRC-A and its work