RAA In Practice | POWER OF COMMUNITY Online Lead Up Event | Engaging Community in the Energy Transition, Yackandandah, Victoria

Wednesday 11th February 1pm – 2pm AEDT

This one hour session offers 1 formal CPD point

Tickets are $35, though RAA members are eligible to utilise the discount code available in the member content area for free attendance of this session

POWER OF COMMUNITY delegates are also eligible for free attendance. Discount code will be provided via your booking and event WhatsApp group.

The Session
This online event will be held in the lead up to the POWER OF COMMUNITY and serve to introduce some of the themes being explored and set the scene for the in person experience.

In this session, Dr Juliette Milbank will speak about Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY), its genesis and the achievements of the community-led initiative.

Since 2014, TRY has undertaken projects to transition the town to 100% renewable energy, aiming to locally generate enough renewable energy to cover the town’s yearly demand. TRY's approach has been community-centred with community engagement as a fundamental element. Yackandandah is currently at 65% renewables and projects have included three pilot microgrids, two community batteries, resilience hubs on community facilities and residential installations, including energy efficiency measures. Their 100% Feasibility Study in 2022 concluded they could reach the 100% goal using community-scale batteries and renewable energy installations on residential and other buildings.

In transitioning to 100% renewables, TRY has formed strong relationships and met the community on their terms, providing benefits that are place-based, truly valued and enable the community to survive and thrive. This approach has included a focus on many small activities that deliver immediate, focused and strategic gains as well as larger, longer term projects.

Dr Juliette Milbank
Juliette is the Communications Coordinator and past President of Totally Renewable Yackandandah in northeastern Victoria.

She is a mechanical engineer, with a PhD in aeroacoustics, and is a writer with a keen interest in communicating complex ideas in an easy to understand way. She is on the Board of the Coalition for Community Energy (soon to become Energy Together), a co-organiser of the Community Energy Congress 2024, and a member of Baranduda Landcare and the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network.

EVENT INFO

POWER OF COMMUNITY - Yarrayne / Guildford

DATES 12-14 March 2026

LOCATION Yarrayne / Guildford on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in the Victorian Central Goldfields region. The Friday main seminar day will be at the Guildford Public Hall, 32 Fryers St, Guildford Victoria

CPD 6 formal points available on the Friday. Delegates can make their own assessment for informal CPD for fringe events attended.