1 October 2026 - For immediate release
Community Power Agency’s Community Energy Incubator program has been boosted with funding from the NSW Community Energy Activation Program (CEAP). Community Power Agency is one of twelve community and not-for-profit energy organisations that will share $4.7M from the CEAP, which aims to support community organisations to expand the critical support they provide.
Launched in October 2025, Community Power Agency’s Community Energy Incubator is a pilot program designed to unlock investment in mid-scale community energy projects and empower local groups to move their projects from early feasibility to investment readiness.
With support from the NSW Government, Community Power Agency will expand the Incubator’s training and mentoring for community groups developing their own solar farm projects. The funding will help more groups build the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to develop viable projects that put community benefit at the heart of their design.
“The CEAP funding will accelerate our participating NSW community energy projects through sharing knowledge and avoiding pitfalls to deliver affordable energy outcomes, local resilience and long-term community benefit.” –– Community Power Agency Director, Kim Mallee, said.
“Mid-scale community energy projects are a triple win. They unlock the ‘missing middle’ of the distribution network, making use of existing, underutilised infrastructure. They put locals in the driver’s seat, giving communities the ownership and agency they’ve been calling for. And by centering community benefits and creating real opportunities for locals, these projects foster social licence.”
Community Energy Incubator participant Kathryn Maxwell, President of the Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance says: “Our community has wanted to develop a mid-scale solar farm for years, but there’s no support to level the playing field in the utility-scale space. The Incubator is exactly what’s needed – practical, hands-on support to help communities realise their energy ambitions”.
Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Boundless Earth and Bunya.
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Since 2011, Community Power Agency has supported over 50 community energy groups across Australia to take control of their energy future by developing and delivering their own clean energy projects. We provide advice on the technical, economic, environmental, and social dimensions of community energy, ensuring projects are viable, impactful, and responsive to the unique needs of each community.
ENDS
Available for comment
Kim Mallee, Director
Claudia Hodge, Project Manager - Community Development
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Juliette Milbank: 0439 637 115
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