Complaints regarding renewable energy projects in Australia have reached significant levels, as the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner, Tony Mahar, highlighted ongoing issues with community engagement and project management. In 2024, the Commissioner’s office closed 155 cases while opening 152 new ones, reflecting growing discontent among communities over large-scale renewable initiatives.
Rising Complaints and Community Concerns
The 2024 annual report from the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC) revealed a steady increase in complaints, with community members voicing their concerns year-on-year since 2015. Last year, 149 complaints were received, marking a rise from 87 in 2022. Mahar pointed out that issues surrounding social licenses and local engagement remain primary concerns, alongside several other significant factors.
Among the complaints, a notable number were related to planning processes, specifically regarding buffer zones for new wind and solar farms. Additional concerns included public insurance, taxation of compensation payments, land valuations, loss of agricultural land, and the disposal of aging infrastructure. Mahar stated, “Through cases and direct community engagement, we hear a recurring theme of a sense of communities not being informed, respected, and at worst being patronised.”
Of the new cases, 70 were specifically about community engagement issues, while others raised safety concerns, environmental impacts, and amenity issues, such as noise and visual disruptions from larger solar farms and taller wind turbines. Wind farm-related complaints comprised a striking 66 percent of total issues, with **100 cases** spanning across 33 projects nationwide. Solar farms accounted for 12 percent of complaints, while transmission activities made up 11 percent.
Challenges in Community Engagement and Planning Processes
Mahar emphasized that the landscape of complaints is becoming more complex, with community dissatisfaction often stemming from inadequate engagement strategies employed by developers. He noted that some companies are attempting to address this by releasing information early on new proposals, hoping to mitigate community unrest.
Despite these efforts, the report highlighted systemic issues within the regulatory framework. Mahar pointed out that community engagement through formal approval processes is often lacking. “It is not enough to simply open a portal to receive comments once an application is received,” he stated. He argued that regulators and planning bodies must ensure clear public guidance and timely updates to foster genuine community involvement.
Lengthy planning processes have contributed to a sense of fatigue and disengagement among community members, leading to confusion about various proposals. Conversely, certain fast-track approval processes have been criticized for lacking transparency, which can suggest to communities that projects are already decided.
As the AEIC reaches a milestone of 1,000 cases since its establishment in 2015, Mahar acknowledged that while some progress has been made in renewable rollout, substantial challenges remain. He urged for improvements in land access processes, noting that issues such as leaving gates open have led to “preventable complaints” and a feeling of lost control among landowners.
In 2024, most complaints were reported from Victoria, with the commissioners conducting over 330 stakeholder meetings throughout the year. Mahar’s commentary follows a critical review released by his predecessor, Andrew Dyer, addressing community engagement during the transition from coal-fired power to renewable sources.
The Clean Energy Council has since called for the renewable energy industry to intensify its efforts to secure community support. This comes amid news that the completion date for the troubled $3.3 billion VNI West project—vital for connecting solar and wind infrastructure in Victoria and NSW to the energy grid—has been postponed to allow further negotiations regarding property access.
As the government works toward achieving 82 percent renewable energy in the grid by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced an expansion of taxpayer-backed renewable projects. During an energy industry conference, he underscored the urgency of advancing the clean energy transition, stating, “it’s time to knuckle down.”
With community concerns on the rise, it is clear that stakeholders across the renewable energy sector must address these issues proactively to foster trust and collaboration moving forward.
