Consortium Meeting Record

New England Community Wind Farm Study

Meeting Details
Starfish Enterprises, Faulkner House Armidale
16 December 2010

Attendees Dave Carr, Emily Thomas-Moore, Harold Ritch, Ray South, Patsy
Asch, Chris Ipkendanz, Jarra Hicks, Elizabeth Gardiner, Adam
Blakester
Apologies Nathan Axelsson, Kim-Trieste Hastings, Hugh Piper

Welcome & Updates

• UNE are 'in principle' supportive the Study and the concept of a Community
Wind Farm, with a broad interest to consider research, academic, & energy
purchase opportunities.
• CMG are undertaking a significant shift to increase their commitment to the
community and sustainability is being led from the Board down & a Community
Wind Farm is of real interest.
• New youth network being formed, called YOUNG ☺, will have a strong focus
on sustainability.

Action Consortium members to be added to Renewable Energy Reference

Group email list. Adam to email addresses to Ray. i

Action Items
Completed
• Executive Summary created, detailing the vision, story and strategic fit.
• HiCUB logo added to Consortium/Partner banner.
• Short Promotional Presentation drafted (refer below discussion).
• Roles & Responsibilities Table updated.

Carried Forward
• Create Stakeholder Survey that can be used in meetings, online, etc. ii
• Create Strategic Questions Kit that can be used in meetings (Board, Staff, etc.) iii
• Reviewing the Notion of NESS.iv

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Consortium Meeting Record
New England Community Wind Farm Study
Purpose & Goals
• Perth City developer contributions for art a useful model for how the Wind Farm
could bring tangible benefits the wider-community.
• 'Wider-community' refers to the members of the New England community not
directly involved with the wind farm (ie. Not shareholders, landholders, energy
purchasers, etc).
• This 'wider-community benefit' is a key principle for CMG, similar to its own role
as a co-operative that contributes mutuality and support to the community.
• Point made that community-owned energy could become a replicable
business model, similar to the Bendigo Bank community-banking.

Actions Ray to source information about Perth City Development for Arts. v
Adam to source Energy Map for New England Tablelands.vi

Research Briefings & Matrix

Has been submitted to DECCW & OFT for approval. This is the second deliverable
under the funding contract.

The issue of 'offsetting' will be key to the environmental integrity of the project and
requires some good research.

Agreement that quantifying the funding requirements for Phase 2 work is another
key piece of research, particularly working out what level of up-front investment
would be required (donations, shares, membership, etc) to provide a capital base
that generated interest to cover the day-to-day pre-feasibility work, executive
coordination plus secretariat.

Action Expand Research Matrix to include analysis of Hepburn Investors. vii

Milestones & Study Plan

• Bring forward SLA Open Forum to 1st Tuesday in March
• Would be ideal to have one Community Dialogue in the north of the Region,
probably Glenn Innes

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Consortium Meeting Record
New England Community Wind Farm Study
Investment Dialogue (CMG)

UNE Dialogue

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Consortium Meeting Record
New England Community Wind Farm Study
Promotion & Communication
Wide range of communication tools to be utilised ranging from formal reports
through to video, vision & sound. The purpose behind this approach is to create
engaging, informative & educational materials that also satisfy the funding
requirements of documenting the Study and process undertaken.

One idea is to develop network & relationship maps of the various people &
organisations involved, to provide both a visual picture of who has been involved
as well as a powerful analytical tool.

Short interviews can also be done at the end of forums, and the end of the Study,
to identify reflections on key changes, outcomes, insights & issues.

Action Changes to Promotional Presentationviii:

• Include section on reasons & benefits of community energy
• SLA Market Stall is an important channel for engagement & has found that
interest in energy has been significant
• Clarify what the Study does not include

Hierarchy of communication to be utilised:

Above the line are key public communication materials.

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Consortium Meeting Record
New England Community Wind Farm Study
A4 Fact Sheet
• Good content however too detailed & dense for the purpose of a general
handout.

Actions Create a pamphlet/handout.ix

Investigate a School Competition to create a Origami Wind Turbine for
use as a promotional gizmo.x

Other Business
Carried Forward Agenda Item Study Tripsxi

Next Consortium Meeting

Tuesday 1 February, 9.30-11.30am
Venue to be confirmed

Future Consortium Meetings

7 or 8 March, 11 or 12 April, 23 or 24 May

13 January 2011
Adam F Blakester
adam@starfishenterprises.org
m 61 419 808 900 | t 61 2 6775 2501 | skype adam.f.blakester

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i Consortium members to be added to Renewable Energy Reference Group email list. Adam to
email addresses to Ray.
ii Create Stakeholder Survey that can be used in meetings, online, etc.
iii Create Strategic Questions Kit that can be used in meetings (Board, Staff, etc.)
iv Reviewing the Notion of NESS.
v Ray to source information about Perth City Development for Arts.
vi Adam to source Energy Map for New England Tablelands.
vii Expand Research Matrix to include analysis of Hepburn Investors.
viii Make suggested changes to Promotional Presentation.
ix Create a pamphlet/handout.
x Investigate a School Competition to create a Origami Wind Turbine for use as a promotional
gizmo.
xi Study Trips