Blog 3 – Community Power in Practice

Across Australia, communities are proving that the clean energy transition can be fair, local and lasting. While national programs and industry investment set the stage, it is community leadership that brings these ideas to life in ways that strengthen connection and build trust.

Projects like Hepburn Energy and Renewable Manilla show how renewable energy can be more than infrastructure. They demonstrate what happens when a project is designed around people, place and purpose.

Learn more about Hepburn Energy

The Hepburn Wind story

In Daylesford, Victoria, a group of residents decided to take the future into their own hands. Instead of waiting for developers or government programs, they formed a cooperative and built Australia’s first community-owned wind farm.

Hepburn Wind has been operating for more than a decade. It produces clean energy, reinvests profits locally, and supports environmental and social projects in the region. The cooperative model allows anyone in the community to become a member and share in the benefits.

The project’s greatest achievement is not just generating electricity but proving that people can build and own renewable energy together. It has inspired hundreds of similar initiatives across the country.

Stay tuned for Geni.Energy's visit to Hepburn Energy soon!

The Renewable Manilla story

In northern New South Wales, the town of Manilla is building its own vision for energy independence through Renewable Manilla. This project grew out of a small local working group that wanted to create long-term sustainability and local economic opportunity.

The community is working toward a shared solar and battery system that can power homes and businesses across the town. The project aims to deliver cheaper, cleaner electricity while keeping ownership and decision-making in local hands.

Renewable Manilla is also about much more than technology. It is about community pride, self-reliance and cooperation. Residents are contributing ideas, knowledge and time, and the project team is building partnerships with local organisations and energy experts to make it happen.

It shows what is possible when a town takes its energy future into its own hands and when the focus stays on collaboration, transparency and community benefit.

What these projects teach us

Both Hepburn and Manilla reflect the same core idea: communities are not just stakeholders, they are leaders. When people are involved in decision-making and share in the benefits, projects succeed more deeply and for longer.

They also show that small-scale, locally managed energy systems can complement larger national projects. Together, they create a more resilient and flexible grid.

The lessons are simple but powerful:

• Empower locals to lead and resource them locally.

• Keep ownership and decision-making close to home.

• Be transparent about risks and rewards.

• Build partnerships that last beyond the project timeline.

A shared path forward

Regional Australia has always adapted to change with creativity and care. The renewable energy transition is another chapter in that story. With the right mix of local leadership and policy support, communities can shape a cleaner and fairer energy future.

At Geni.Energy, we believe that every successful project begins with trust and collaboration. When energy projects grow from local initiative, they build more than power systems. They build belonging, resilience and hope for generations to come.

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