The University of Notre Dame Australia has brought together leading researchers to tackle energy affordability in remote Indigenous communities by driving efforts to transition them to renewable energy.
Notre Dame's researchers are exploring solutions to energy poverty in remote communities – a widespread issue that leaves vulnerable people without power during prolonged periods of extreme heat.
As part of this work, a recent workshop on the Broome Campus brought together researchers, community voices and policy experts to explore practical, research-driven solutions aimed at long-term change.
The Kimberley Indigenous Energy Affordability Workshop focused on four priority areas – housing energy efficiency, energy costs and tariffs, climate change and future proofing remote communities, and technology and appliances.
Notre Dame researcher Kathryn Thorburn said everyone in the room agreed to collaborate to build an evidence base for reforming current approaches to energy affordability in the Kimberley.
"Bringing everyone together in one room was a powerful step forward,' Dr Thorburn said. "This kind of genuine collaboration is essential if we are going to drive meaningful change.
"The other outcome was around building a consensus on priorities, and going about this through a process of co-design with First Nations people who have daily experience of energy affordability challenges."
Participants discussed national best practice and the techniques already being used by First Nations people to manage high energy costs and extreme heat. They identified research and data gaps and explored practical partnerships.
The two-day workshop took place amid growing national discussions about the impacts of climate change and the need for major investment to enable adaption to its predicted effects.
Dr Thorburn said the aim of the workshop was to identify areas of research that were deliverable in the short, medium and long term.
"We are aiming for maximum impact, but we are also being realistic about aligning strong research with practical pathways to implementation," Dr Thorburn said.
"We can make sure the research stays grounded by paying close attention to where there is real interest and willingness to act from State and Federal governments."
The workshop brought together some of the best research minds in this space, including Dr Thorburn, Anna Dwyer and Steve Kinnane from Notre Dame's Broome-based Nulungu Research Institute; Australian National University's Brad Riley; Dr Tom Longden from Western Sydney University; clean energy advocate Lauren Mellor from Original Power and Indigenous Renewable Energy advocate, engineer and researcher, Ruby Heard, of Alinga Energy.
It was attended by remote community people from Ardyaloon, Djarindjin, Wangkatjungka and Mowanjum, as well as representatives from Horizon Power's remote community teams, CSIRO's National Energy Analysis Centre and the Kimberley Land Council.
The workshop was funded by Notre Dame's Big Ideas scheme, which fosters research innovation and ambitious research partnerships in line with the University's Research Strategy.
