We're joining together with councils across Victoria to assist businesses to purchase renewable energy and cut their emissions.
If you are a large market energy consumer and want to join a group to purchase 100% renewable electricity, please email [email protected] or complete the Expression of Interest form.
About the group
The Business Renewables Buying Group is designed to bring together a group of like-minded businesses seeking to switch to 100% renewable electricity. With the support of an external facilitator, the group will work collectively to scale up their buying power whilst cutting complexity, time, and cost associated with going 100% renewable.
The Business Renewable Buying Group is open to businesses across Victoria consuming over 500MWh per annum of electricity (spending ~$100,000 per annum).
Through the Business Renewables Buying Group we are striving to build and refine this model and create a repeatable and scalable group purchasing method to support more businesses to join a renewable future.
What you'll get access to
- Improved market response for your businesses, with more options and potential price benefits due to increased load
- Ability to work with others who are going through similar decisions to compare considerations and support each other
- Reduced project costs and staff time by spreading the workload across the group
- The process is led by an experienced facilitator, with access to specialist strategic advice
Benefits for your business
- Cost effective way to reduce emissions and deliver on your strategic goals
- Long term and stable pricing provide budget certainty and reduces exposure to energy market volatility
- Avoid repeated internal procurement processes over the duration of the PPA contract
- Participation in this project and renewable energy purchase can provide reputation, branding and leadership benefits
- Opportunity to directly support the renewable energy industry.
Eligibility
This project is initiated and supported by Yarra Council, and will be available to all Victorian business who qualify for the large electricity market.
- A PPA is a long-term agreement for an energy buyer to purchase a quantity of electricity generated by an off-site renewable energy project, such as a solar or wind farm
- The group element simply refers to more than one business or organisation pooling their electricity demand collectively to get a better outcome.
The participating councils have run a competitive process to appoint 1Circle as the Facilitator to actively support the Business Buying Group.
1Circle is highly experienced with a successful track record of arranging group buys, including the pilot program for the Business Renewables Buying Group.
The facilitator will:
- Provide an initial overview of the benefits to your business
- Coordinate group meetings and engagement
- Advise on and contract the ‘energy advisor’ and ‘legal counsel’ on behalf of the group
- Prepare and release tender documents on behalf of the group
- Assist with analysis of offers and support decision making for participating businesses.
- Victorian councils lead the establishment of three landmark agreements: Melbourne Renewable Energy Project (MREP) 1 & 2 and the Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO).
- Councils’ experience with both MREP and VECO projects highlights the essential need for a project facilitator to support and coordinate all the parties in switching to renewable electricity and ensuring a successful outcome.
- Victorian Councils are uniquely placed to leverage their experience and capabilities to support businesses to transition to Renewable Electricity. They will engage an independent 'facilitator" to assist businesses and provide the option for participation in a Renewable Energy buying group.
You can get in touch with Yarra City Council's Sustainability team:
- email: sustainability@yarracity.vic.gov.au
- phone: 03 9205 5262