.png){kind=spacer}
With support from the Australian Government, a delegation of grassroots young community leaders will take Australia's experience of getting off fossil fuels to the international stage at COP31 next week. The delegation, supported by Rewiring Australia, brings together young, regional and community energy leaders working on everything from helping First Nations communities move away from petrol-powered transport to making rooftop solar and household electrification more accessible.
With support from the Australian Government, a delegation of grassroots young community leaders will take Australia's experience of getting off fossil fuels to the international stage at COP31 next week.
From Thursday Island to regional Victoria and suburban Sydney, these community leaders are already making the clean energy transition happen on the ground. Now, they will share their experiences with international delegates, climate advocates and Australian Government representatives at the UN climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye.
The delegation, supported by Rewiring Australia, brings together young, regional and community energy leaders working on everything from helping First Nations communities move away from petrol-powered transport to making rooftop solar and household electrification more accessible.
Among them is Blake Edwards, 32, President of Totally Renewable Yackandandah, a volunteer-run group working towards powering the regional Victorian community with 100 per cent renewable energy.
Blake will join Rewiring Australia CEO Francis Vierboom in a panel discussion at the Australian Pavilion on household battery uptake, alongside the International Energy Agency's Chief Economist.
The discussion will explore the growing role of household batteries in the energy transition and what it will take to accelerate their uptake, drawing on the pair's direct experience helping households and communities embrace clean energy.
The delegation also includes Sarah Tedder, lead organiser of the Ride Revolution Project, a First Nations-led initiative helping residents of Thursday Island swap petrol cars and taxis for bikes, reducing transport costs and emissions.
Jasper Webster, 26, volunteers with Inner West Community Energy in Sydney and helps households access the benefits of solar and supporting apartment and strata residents to electrify - a group often overlooked in the energy transition. He also works for Pingala Community Energy where he focuses on installing community-owned solar power on social housing,
.jpeg)
The delegation will use its time at COP31 to connect with other national delegations, Pacific and international allies, civil society groups and Australian climate representatives. They will share what is working in their communities, learn from international experiences and build relationships that can help accelerate the transition back home.
Their participation has been made possible through Australian Government funding, which will support travel, accommodation and insurance costs. Rewiring Australia is also contributing in-kind support, including delegate preparation, briefings on the COP process, media coordination and sharing the delegation's learnings across its national network.
And importantly, the benefits won't end when COP31 wraps up. The delegation will share its experiences and insights with Rewiring Australia's network of more than 100 Electric Community Groups, helping communities across the country build on the ideas, connections and momentum generated at the conference.
Read more about the Ride Revolution and Pingala Community Energy.
Electrifying our homes and cars is the recipe to cut emissions and save money for Australian homes. Let's build an abundant electric future for Australia.
.jpg)
Analysis of new disconnection data by Rewiring Australia reveals Victorians are shifting away from gas in record numbers, with usage halving in Rochester and declining by more than a third in Ararat amidst significant reductions in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and growth corridors.
The NSW Government has announced it will cut the income threshold for its zero-interest Home Energy Saver loans from $210,000 to $150,000, while the Federal Government is reportedly weighing further cuts to EV salary packaging and home battery support to find budget savings. Rewiring Australia Founder Saul Griffith said both moves were driven by inflation anxiety but would make the problem worse.
Western Australia is the first state to commit to legalising plug-in balcony solar and batteries. It’s a big win for millions of Australians who’ve been shut out of cheap, clean power.