New Toolkit Empowers Farmers and Communities to Plan for Renewable Energy Project Retirement
Image Credit: Re-Alliance
A new resource from RE-Alliance, an independent not-for-profit, is helping farmers, landholders, and regional communities understand what happens when renewable energy projects like wind and solar farm reach the end of their operational life.
The toolkit, titled “Refurbishment, repowering or retirement. What happens when renewables approach end of life?”, provides clear and factual information about the three main pathways for aging renewable infrastructure.
Refurbishment: Replacing worn components to extend the life of the project
Repowering: Upgrading the entire site with newer, more efficient technology, potentially including battery storage
Decommissioning: Removing infrastructure and rehabilitating the site, as agreed with the landholder
With some of Australia’s earliest renewable projects now approaching retirement age, this toolkit arrives at a crucial time. It aims to support informed decision-making and long-term planning for communities hosting renewable energy developments.
