50,000 People Campaign Solar by the People CORENA – Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia Inc.

50,000 at People’s Climate March rallies and events across Australia September 21, 2014 How many Australians want climate action?

60,000 at National Day of Climate Action rallies and events November 2013 How many Australians want climate action?

When Climate Commission was scrapped, the Climate Council raised over $1 million in 2 weeks to fund on-going climate education 100,821 people signed GetUp’s 2014 Australians for Climate Action petition. 750,000 households paid extra on their electricity bills in 2012 to buy GreenPower How many Australians want climate action?

What being empowered looks like The Climate Council circumvented bad government policy. A simple transparent donation mechanism enabled ‘the people’ to take power back. Citizens were empowered and delighted by collectively achieving what they want. And wasn’t it FUN!

What being disempowered looks like

If only... there were a simple transparent funding mechanism... enabling Australians who want climate action to take power back and achieve tangible climate results themselves!

CORENA’s Big Win Funding Model CORENA funnels people-power into renewable energy projects – tangible climate results ALL of your donations go straight to the BIG WIN Projects that you and many others want!

BZE 100% Renewables Plan According to the stationary energy plan published by Beyond Zero Emissions, Australia could be using 100% renewable energy within 10 years at a cost of $8/household per week.

720,000 x $8/week for 1 year = $300m A 50MW solar thermal plant with 3 hours of molten salt storage costs around $300 million. If 720,000 people voluntarily chip in $8/week for just ONE year, ‘the people’ can collectively fund a solar thermal plant themselves.

With a modular approach, Stage 2 would cost about $100m. Stage 2 would involve construction of a central 50MW power block and storage, and the first of five 10MW tower+heliostat modules. When Stage 2 starts operation, electricity sales from it would provide an income stream to help fund Stages ,000 x $8/week for 1 year = $100m Central power block surrounded by 10MW modules (power tower + heliostats)

50,000 people x $100 = $5 million Around $5 million is enough for Stage 1 of Australia’s first citizen-owned solar thermal plant with storage. Stage 1 will include initial planning, approvals, site acquisition, and construction of 0.5MW auxiliary power to provide on-site power during subsequent construction stages. We CAN do this with just 50,000 people!

50,000 People Campaign Aims Reach 50,000 people who want climate action Invite them to be part of funding Australia’s first citizen-owned solar thermal plant Raise $5 million over the next few months to fund Stage 1

How you can be part of it Be one of the 50,000 yourself and chip in. Make sure all your climate-concerned friends know about the 50,000 People Campaign. 50,000 people x $100 (average) = $5million The ask: $100 or set up small recurring contribution Have time but short of money? You can achieve just as much, if not more, by spreading the word! Note: Any amount is fine of course.

Strategies for reaching 50,000 people Look for the Campaign Asks page on the CORENA website and: – Print the A4 poster or small flyers – Follow #50kpeople on Twitter and tweet/retweet – Like Facebook page and SHARE campaign posts – Download this presentation and give a talk – Just tell people about the campaign! Ask your local climate-related group to collaborate with CORENA on the campaign Note: We want to reach 50,000 people quickly so that the funds already contributed can start to be used asap. So far $30,000* has been contributed.

Just imagine seeing this rise from the ground... and knowing that YOU helped make it happen!

THIS is what empowerment looks like!

Community Quick Win Projects Solar by the People CORENA – Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia Inc.

How Quick Win projects work Supporters from all over Australia chip in to the revolving Quick Win funding pool. CORENA gives interest-free loans to non-profit community organisations to pay for solar installations and/or energy efficiency measures. Community organisations pay back the loan over around 5 years just out of savings on power bills – it doesn’t cost them a cent! Loan repayments are recycled back into the funding pool to help fund subsequent projects (along with subsequent donations).

Quick Win projects so far...

How projects become self-funding - 1 P1 P2 P3 P20 P21 By the time P1 finishes paying back its loan, P21 is funded and starting to pay back into the pool. (P1 continues to generate power and save the community organisation money on power bills, leaving them with more to spend on services.)

How projects become self-funding -2 Assumptions: Each Quick Win project costs $20,000 One new project every 3 months Loan repayments from each project are $1,000/quarter. The 20th project is funded by $19,000 in loan repayments and only $1,000 in new donations. The 21st project and subsequent projects are funded entirely by loan repayments.

How much is needed? After $210,000 in donations and $190,000 in loan repayments, the funding pool will pay for one new project every 3 months. – That’s $21 each from 10,000 people – Or, $100 each from 2,100 people If the public chips in $630,000, the funding pool will have enough for one new project every month. – That’s $63 each from 10,000 people – Or, $21 each from 30,000 people...forever!

How contributions multiply If someone chips in the cost of one panel* now, in 20 years that money will have resulted in 5 panels. As Panel 1 reaches the end of its lifespan, it is replaced by Panel 6, so there are always 5 panels generating electricity on into the future.

Completed projects – Project 1 Tulgeen Disability Services, Bega, NSW 7kW solar installation

Completed projects – Project 2 Gawler Community House, SA 10kW solar installation + LED security lights

Completed projects – Project 3 Beechworth Montessori School, Vic 10kW solar installation

Current project – Project 4 Camden Community Centre, SA

For details and to chip in Thank you!