What would be possible if we all came together to design a renewable energy future for Cobargo and the surrounding region?
Cobargo is on the long road to recovery from the devastating impacts of the 2019-2020 bushfires. The main street rebuild is prioritising resilience and energy efficiency to ensure that we are better able to face future disasters. We have an opportunity to move forward in a way that makes us more self-sufficient and less dependent on importing electricity from the grid and on petroleum products from around the world.
Renewable Cobargo, and the Cobargo microgrid projects are an initiative of CaDET (Cobargo and District Energy Transition). CaDET is a coalition of residents, business owners, farmers and other interested parties working to improve the energy system in the region and accelerate the transition to 100% clean, renewable energy.
Our goals are to:
- Promote energy resilience and energy efficiency and reduce energy bills
- Create awareness and support for renewable energy
- Imagine a future energy plan for the district to transition to a resilient energy supply
- Increase local renewable energy generation and move towards net zero emissions
- Keep increased financial benefits locally
We have achieved so much together already:
We are just about to complete a feasibility study for the Cobargo Community Microgrid, a unique, innovative idea of islanding the grid for energy mitigation and resilience.
We used Black Summer Grant funding for eHubs, adding rooftop solar and batteries to four community buildings, which will enable these buildings to keep running when the grid goes down. These have been installed on our local RFS shed, our long running Cobargo Co-op, and the other two are on our School of Arts Hall and our Community built RSL Hall, which can be used as cool havens in extreme hot weather events.
Solar on the SOA Hall – Image by Jimmy G Logue from Crewcible Studio
Our first EV Charging units have been installed in Cobargo, Bermagui, and Tathra. In the image below you can see the eHub installation on our Co-op, and the EV charging unit, with a car charging, in the background.
Solar on Co-op with EV Charging Unit in background - Image by Jimmy G Logue from Crewcible Studio
We have also organised a Heat Pump Expo and bulk buy. My heat pump at home is already making a huge difference to my energy use and bills.
Image of Heat Pump Expo
Engaging with community to improve energy literacy has been a very important part of this journey. We used part of the Black Summer Grant to hire 2 part-time Community Energy Coordinators who were available to talk to any community members with questions about their energy bills, making home or business more energy efficient, upgrading appliances or installing renewable energy, helping people understand that they can incrementally make a difference in so many achievable ways.
How did we do it?
By hosting conversations that matter!
By working together well!
Microgrid community engagement - with Cathy Griff & Debra Summer in front of Renewable Cobargo visual storyboard
We have a small group of trained Art of Hosting practitioners, with a lot of experience in hosting community engagement and deliberative processes. They supported our early Community Catch-ups, and have continued to support community engagement processes, with good groundwork and design.
I strongly encourage all communities to build their capacity with these skills, it truly makes a difference.
We received a tremendous financial - and a confidence - boost from the Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund (CCBRF) that was set up by local volunteers after the fires to help community recovery.
What did we learn?
We have learnt so much through this process of coming together as a community.
As humans, we are generally not good at collaborating.
We need to collaborate now like never before to address climate change, which is a very complex issue. We need to practice and relearn these skills!
Start building the capacity in your community groups now with tools like Art of Hosting practice.
Having someone with experience host a process to bring people together, followed by regular community engagement is vital. Not everyone in the community is going to have the energy, will, capacity or desire to be involved in the projects, but it is important that everyone feels they have a voice and are heard – even the divisive voices. We need to walk beside each other.
There is a lot of misinformation out there, the best way to counter this is to lead by example, meet people where they are, and demonstrate practical solutions so that people can see things that work and benefit everyone.
Learning together and improving energy literacy in the community makes a huge difference. Bringing our Community Energy Coordinators onboard to talk with people and run information events was invaluable.
There are no mistakes, only learnings! This is a core principle another volunteer, community group, our Cobargo Folk Festival Committee, work from and is wise advice.
It takes a core team of people with a variety of skills and commitment to get things happening. Identify the existing community wisdom and call in what other support you need.
Connecting existing community groups to share resources, ideas and skills was a very important part of our journey in Cobargo, building relationships, motivating, supporting, and empowering each other – creating a shared narrative and understanding of what is important to us all.
Real, effective, enduring recovery and change takes time, it’s a long journey and will not happen overnight.
Volunteer fatigue is very real. We need to make self-care a priority, look after ourselves and each other. I could not keep going if I didn’t know that my team members have my back.
We know what we need. For real change to occur, it needs to happen at the community level – be community led. Then we need appropriate support and funding to achieve our visions.
We are provoking new thinking as we explore what we want and need without being attached to a corporate agenda.
We are creating credibility for the organisations we partner with as they take our suggestions on board.
We can’t wait for Government and large organisations. They’ll have to catch up with us. It’s time to dream up new innovative ideas, push the boundaries and pursue them. It’s time for change!
I am so proud of my community of Cobargo. We know what we need, are not afraid to think outside the box, and vision a new way forward.
I truly believe it is possible to shift climate change impacts across the world if we don’t get swallowed up by fear, and simply act from where we are. The micro scale is where we are empowered to start change - from home, and our community, then the effects ripple out.
It’s not easy, it takes commitment, and caring for each other, being able to step in and offer what you can, and also being able to step back and ask for what you need, knowing when to rest.
By working together, we are achieving great things, learning, growing, and healing together.
It takes a team.
Together we can do it!
Debra Summer, Renewable Cobargo
You can see details of the Main Street rebuild progress here.
Here captures the story of how we brought our village together after the fires to vision a way forward.