While the award was announced in 2026, the story behind the Goulburn Community Solar Farm began more than a decade ago. What started as a local vision became Australia's first community cooperative-owned solar and battery project, a milestone that demonstrates the power of collaboration, persistence and community ownership.
Developed in partnership with Komo Energy Pty Ltd and Goulburn Community Energy Co-operative (Community Energy for Goulburn), the project features a 1.4MW solar farm and 4MWh battery energy storage system, generating enough renewable electricity to power around 500 homes. More than 380 community investors, the majority from the Goulburn region, came together to help fund the project, ensuring its benefits remain within the local community.
Smart Commercial Energy joined the project around halfway through its 12-year journey, working closely with our partners to help bring an ambitious community vision to life.
From a challenging former gravel pit site and lengthy approvals process to supply chain disruptions and evolving market conditions, the project required innovative thinking and close collaboration at every stage. Together, we successfully delivered a project that not only generates clean energy but also creates lasting value for the Goulburn community.
The completed project also marked the world's first deployment of Trinasolar's fully integrated solution, combining bifacial solar modules, mounting systems and battery storage in a single project, another milestone that reflects the innovation behind its delivery.
The Community Value and Impact Award recognises organisations that demonstrate meaningful community engagement, collaboration, and a commitment to creating positive outcomes in the regions where they operate. It celebrates projects that consider environmental and cultural values while delivering lasting community benefits.
We submitted this project for the category as it demonstrates how renewable energy can create value beyond sustainability, through strong partnerships, community collaboration, and positive local impact.
This award is a testament to the dedication of everyone involved over the past 12 years. We'd like to thank Komo Energy Pty Ltd, Community Energy for Goulburn, Trinasolar Asia Pacific, the hundreds of community investors, volunteers and supporters who helped make this project possible.
We're also grateful to the Clean Energy Council for recognising projects that demonstrate the lasting impact community-led renewable energy can have across Australia.
A special shout-out and recognition to our key project developers, Kealy Day and Evert Willeumier, who played an integral role throughout the project. Their expertise, collaboration, and close engagement with all project partners were vital in delivering a successful outcome.
If you'd like to learn more about the project, visit our Goulburn Community Solar Farm project page.