24 August 2026
As regional communities find themselves at the centre of Australia’s rapid shift to renewable energy, a recent CPA discussion paper argues that the sector must move beyond simply seeking community acceptance to operate, and focus instead on delivering measurable improvements to community well-being.
Titled From Social Licence to Social Value in the Energy Transition, the paper – jointly published by the Community Power Agency, PATHMAKER, and RE-Alliance – urges policy makers, developers, and practitioners to establish a shared, rigorous approach to tracking the real-world impacts of clean energy infrastructure.
“Australia’s energy transition is occurring at a scale and pace that will shape regional communities for generations,” says Kim Mallee, Director at Community Power Agency.
“Big changes require robust frameworks that put people first. Properly understood, social value represents a fundamental shift from seeking basic community acceptance to delivering genuine, measurable improvements in people’s lives. This paper aims to spark the sector-wide conversation needed to make that shift real.”
Across the country, there is growing attention on how the benefits of the energy transition are shared. However, the report highlights a critical ‘measurement gap’ in the current sector: a lack of consistent, transparent approaches has led to methodological silos and superficial assessments, making it difficult to differentiate between projects that create genuine value and those that don’t.
Laura Stewart, lead author and Founder of Pathmaker, says: “It is no longer enough to look at a renewable energy project solely through a technical or engineering lens.”
“True project success hinges on inclusive processes that build trust. When we establish a shared language and clear boundaries for social value, we give communities, developers, and policy makers a transparent basis to work together and secure lasting well-being outcomes.”
Tony Goodfellow from RE-Alliance agrees and adds: “This is a pivotal moment for the energy sector, so we hope this paper sparks a conversation to turn shared intent into shared practice, ensuring the communities hosting this infrastructure are genuinely left better off.”
Drawing on international frameworks, policy analysis, and interviews with leading practitioners, the discussion paper establishes five core principles to guide the sector forward – focusing on outcome-based measurement, net-impact tracking, and grounding assessments in place and First Nations voice. It offers a vital roadmap for policy makers looking to align energy projects with national frameworks like Measuring What Matters, while giving social value practitioners a collaborative foundation to elevate industry standards.
Discussion paper: From social license to social value in the energy transition (PDF)
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Community Power Agency’s mission is to collaborate with and build capacity in communities, government and industry to create renewable energy policies and projects that result in a fairer and faster transition to a clean energy economy.
