Currently, 64.1% of Melbourne’s energy still comes from non-renewable sources, and 2.4% of residents are receiving hardship assistance to pay their energy bills – and that doesn’t account for all of the households struggling in silence to heat and cool their homes. Not only that, but Melbourne is currently the most gas-dependent state in Australia (residentially speaking), which means we’re having an outsized negative contribution to the climate crisis.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

How is energy a pathway to the ‘sweet spot’? To the safe and just space?

Imagine if, at the end of the day, your office block redirected the excess energy produced through its solar panels (and stored in its battery) to the neighbouring Men’s Shed, where it can power the tools and shared kitchen for the Tuesday night meeting.

In the sweet spot of Melbourne’s future, energy is a fundamental part of our connective tissue, an abundant resource that we share throughout Greater Melbourne to power enterprise, innovation, social good and community needs.

In this future, energy is equitably distributed, and its production doesn’t strain our planet’s health. We have a huge variety of renewable resources which are being generated by, and distributed by, communities to power the lives they want to lead.

It’s a compelling vision. But the equitable and affordable provision of renewable energy, which can help to regenerate our city and return value and health back to our planet, won’t happen overnight.

The good news it that the pathway ahead is already being shaped by a number of organisations and initiatives, working from different perspectives, and across the state, the market, households and the commons. Taken together, these innovators show us the next best move to make as a city.

What’s happening across Greater Melbourne?

Across Melbourne, a wave of communities are taking action without asking for permission. These neighbourhoods are setting up the infrastructure they need to support the transition to an equitable renewable energy system.

In Sandringham,Village Zero is setting up community batteries with the necessary supporting infrastructure to power this into the future. The initiative is connecting Bayside Council, local businesses and local community groups, who all have one thing in common: a passion for Sandringham to live in harmony between people and planet.

In the central city, the City of Melbourne is coordinating PowerMelbourne, an initiative designed to give all residents access to affordable renewable energy through localised production and storage. Recognising the barriers renters and apartment dwellers face in accessing solar solutions, PowerMelbourne is establishing new energy infrastructure and distribution models, collaborating with businesses, utilities and community champions.

The First Nations Clean Energy Network is helping to drive Australia’s clean energy revolution through a First Nations lens, by ensuring First Nations people can play a central role in harnessing the opportunities from the renewables boom. The organisation is supporting communities as they address barriers to clean and reliable power, driving community-owned clean energy projects and securing equitable deals for renewable projects on Indigenous-owned land.

In the market, organisations like Co-Power, a cooperative power company providing a new way for people to buy clean, sustainable and affordable energy, are reimagining how the benefits of the energy market are shared. Victorian Cleantech is working tirelessly to connect companies and founders with government, research and capital to accelerate their efforts towards clean energy adoption.

These changes are happening across our city already. Our role at Regen Melbourne – and for the 180 member organisations in our alliance – is to help expand capacity and connect communities to solutions that already exist.