The Quiet Majority
Late last year, Farmers for Climate Action released research that showed that of the 1001 people polled across energy shift regions, 70 per cent support clean energy projects on farmland.[1]
That data revealed clearly that the quiet majority of rural Australians are in favour of clean energy. Renewables done right is a once in a generation opportunity for regional Australia.
We need the whole economy – including energy – to do its part to make the deep emission cuts required this decade for us to have a safe climate in which to live and work. Australian farmers are experienced in harnessing new opportunities, and many are already shifting to clean energy. Hosting renewables can deliver drought-proof income for farmers and can help farmers continue to grow food and fibre in a changing climate.
What we are asking for
We are calling on federal politicians to get behind the policy changes that will enable farmers to supercharge their contribution to the clean energy shift. These changes will make their businesses more profitable and resilient in a changing climate, and reduce pressure on the grid.
This election, we’re asking for:
- Ensure farmers are able to use the energy they generate across their whole property, including across different property titles
- Upgrade local poles and wires
- Deliver support for batteries for all farmers
Ensure farmers are able to use the energy they generate across their whole property, including across different property titles
Stop preventing farmers from using the energy they generate across their whole property, including across different property titles.
Currently, farmers are prevented from sharing the energy they produce with other parts of the same property if it is on a different property title. Most farms are made up of many property titles.
Changing these regulations to allow energy generated on farms to be used across the whole property and household would make investing in renewables stack up for many more farmers.
Upgrade local poles and wires
It’s not just big transmission that needs an upgrade. If Australia is investing in large-scale transmission, we should upgrade our local poles and wires too.
Right now, the inadequate poles and wires in regional Australia are preventing farmers and farming communities from being able to generate and export renewable energy to the grid. This directly impacts farm business productivity and profitability and limits the ability of farms to contribute to the energy shift.
In Victoria, Farmers for Climate Action supports Powercor’s urgent calls for the Australian Energy Regulator to deliver a $50 million investment to upgrade 1,000 kilometres of Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) power lines. Nationally, we call on the Federal Government to develop a plan to identify areas to prioritise upgrades from Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) to three-phase power across regional Australia.
Deliver support for batteries for all farmers
We know that high upfront capital costs are slowing the adoption of on-farm renewables. Which is why we’re in favour of support for batteries for all farmers, so they can use the energy they produce when they need it most.
Financial incentives for farmers to install batteries will drive higher renewables uptake and reduce pressure on the grid at peak times. Research has shown that rooftop solar plus a battery can reduce the 4-8pm wholesale market peak by up to 92%.[2] That market peak coincides with high energy use times for more energy intensive farm operations such as dairy.
Higher battery usage will also make Australian farm businesses more resilient and energy secure, allowing them to use the power they produce at the time that they need it. This reduces input costs, lowers emissions and delivers critical backup power during outages.
About Farmers for Climate Action
Farmers for Climate Action is Australia’s only farmer-led organisation advocating for ambitious climate action both on and off-farm. We’re independent, non-profit and non-partisan.
We represent more than 8,400 farmers across Australia, backed by more than 80,000 community supporters, fighting for strong, opportunity-rich climate policies for farmers and farming communities.
