The Developer Rating Scheme - Lived Experience Panel

    In October 2024, the Developer Rating Scheme Lived Experience Panel was established by The Energy Charter at the request of the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) Stakeholder Reference Group.

    Supported by DCCEEW, RE-Alliance, Farmers for Climate Action and the Office of the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC), the Lived Experience Panel brings together landholders and community members who have first-hand experience hosting or engaging with renewable energy projects.

    Who is involved?

    The Lived Experience Panel is independently chaired by Charlie Prell, a former wind farm host and ex-Chair of Farmers for Climate Action. The panel includes 10 landholders from NSW, VIC, TAS, SA, and QLD who have hosted renewable energy projects or transmission lines at various stages of development, construction, and operation.

    First meeting: key insights + themes

    The inaugural meeting was held online on 30 October 2024. The discussion centred on the proposed Developer Rating Scheme, exploring how it could improve community engagement in renewable energy projects. Key insights included:

    ✅ Diverse landholder experiences – Some reported strong engagement, while others faced poor communication and lack of transparency from developers.

    ✅ Financial incentives + community tensions – Payment structures often create divides between host and non-host landholders, leading to local conflicts.

    ✅ Challenges with contractors – A need for better renewable developer accountability in managing subcontractors and mitigating disruptions.

    ✅ Limited landholder choice – Many feel they have little say in selecting renewable developers, often taking the first offer due to lack of competition.

    ✅ The role of local councils – Concerns that councils are often sidelined in decision-making, limiting their ability to support communities.

    What happens next?

    The Lived Experience Panel will continue to provide real-world insights into the development of the Developer Rating Scheme, ensuring it is objective, independent and transparent. Future discussions will focus on incentives for better developer practices, authentic community engagement and stronger landholder support networks.

    Meet Charlie Prell

    Charlie Prell is a recently retired sheep farmer from Crookwell in the Southern Tablelands of NSW.  He sold his farm, which is one of four under the Crookwell 2 windfarm. 

    Charlie has more than 20 years experience advocating for the benefits of wind farms and renewables, including leadership roles with RE-Alliance and Farmers for Climate Action.  Charlie advocates for a comprehensive, inclusive “benefit sharing” model, where the whole community shares in the benefits the infrastructure brings. 

    Charlie is passionate about the health and well-being of small regional communities. He’s committed to assisting these communities to meet the challenge of climate change and realise the benefits of meeting these challenges. 

    Background: AEIC Review

    In July 2023, the Commonwealth Minister for Climate Change and Energy tasked the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC) with an independent Community Engagement Review to enhance how communities are involved in renewable energy projects.

    The AEIC Community Engagement Review aimed to strengthen trust, transparency, and collaboration by gathering insights from landholders, local communities and key stakeholders living near renewable energy developments.

    Released in February 2024, the AEIC Community Engagement Review findings provided a roadmap for better engagement, stronger relationships and fairer outcomes in the energy transition. In response, Commonwealth and State Energy Ministers accepted all recommendations in principle, committing to meaningful improvements in community engagement across the sector.

    Read the full Review

    What did the Review find?

    Developer Rating Scheme Recommendation

    Recommendation 1 of the Review was for a Developer Rating Scheme to improve community engagement by motivating developers to achieve best practice and promote the selection of reputable developers for new project developments.

    Stakeholder Reference Group

    In August 2024, we were invited to sit on the Stakeholder Reference Group for the Developer Rating Scheme by DCCEEW. Its members currently include:

    1. Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)
    2. National Farmers’ Federation (NFF)
    3. Farmers for Climate Action
    4. Clean Energy Council
    5. The Energy Charter
    6. Energy Networks Australia
    7. Australian Council of Trades Union
    8. RE-Alliance
    9. Clean Energy Finance Corporation
    10. Clean Energy Investor Group
    11. Natural Resource Management
    12. First Nations Clean Energy and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee
    13. World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

    To find out more about our work on the Developer Ratings Scheme, contact Sabiene Heindl, The Energy Charter CEO.

    Contact Sabiene