First Nations Clean Energy Strategy

Publication date

Friday 06 December 2024

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About the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy

Narrator: Imagine in Australia, where the energy that powers our homes is shaped by the same care for country that has guided First Nations peoples for 10s of thousands of years.

Where country and culture sit at the very heart of how we build a clean energy future for every Australian.

First Nations peoples hold formal rights and interests in more than half of Australia's land and seas.

And yet many are among the most energy insecure peoples in the world.

The energy transformation now under way can change that.

It can open the door to affordable renewable power.

Enter something deeper.

The chance for First Nations peoples to lead, to participate and to genuinely benefit from the clean energy projects rising across this continent.

Released at the end of 2024, the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy sets a national framework around three goals, powering First Nations communities with clean energy, enabling equitable partnerships and delivering real economic benefits.

It's a whole of Australian government strategy, shaped by First Nations voices from every corner of the country and with leadership from the First Nations Clean Energy and Climate Change Advisory Committee.

Behind it sits a $70 million programme led by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, including $39,000,000 in advice grants rolling out from 2025 to 2027, supporting training, planning and professional advice on the ground.

The grants support the goals of the strategy and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Programmes like Future Made in Australia and the Capacity Investment Scheme, or CIS, are reinforcing this vision.

The CIS alone aims to deliver 40 gigawatts of new wind, solar and battery capacity by 20-30.

And from 2026, a new provision will encourage project developers to enter into agreements of at least 5% equity or equivalent revenue sharing directly with First Nations peoples.

This is more than an energy shift, it's a chance to rebuild together, with First Nations leadership making decisions about what happens on country and benefits shared for generations to come.

The First Nations Clean Energy Strategy (the Strategy) was released on 6 December 2024. Its release followed extensive public consultation and stakeholder engagement.

The Strategy is co-sponsored by the Minister for Energy and Climate Change and the Minister for Indigenous Australians. It is a key priority under the National Energy Transformation Partnership.

The clean energy transition is a critical moment for Australia’s relationship with First Nations peoples. The Strategy is a 5-year national framework for action that will help:

collaboration between governments, industry and community members
create opportunities for First Nations people to make their own choices
gain social and economic benefits through the energy transition.

Developed in collaboration with First Nations people and organisations, the Strategy outlines a vision for a sustainable clean energy future for all Australians, with Country and Culture at the heart.

The First Nations Clean Energy Strategy Progress Update Phase 1: 2025–2026 provides an initial stocktake of the Australian Government’s programs currently underway making progress on the 24 Priority Actions identified in the Strategy. This will establish a baseline for charting progress over time. It will also ensure whole-of-government accountability at the intersection of First Nations rights and interests and the clean energy transformation. Annual Progress Updates will be released from 2027.

Download the Strategy.

Download the Progress Update Phase 1: 2025-26.

The Strategy's focus areas and key supporting actions

The Strategy is framed around 3 goals underpinned by a set of objectives and actions. The 3 goals of the Strategy and its 24 supporting actions are listed below.

This means investing in clean energy systems and removing obstacles that prevent First Nations communities from a reliable and affordable clean energy supply. It also means investing in research to fill important knowledge gaps and better understand First Nations peoples’ experiences of energy use and access.

The supporting actions are:

review and extend regulatory protections
future proof community infrastructure
document First Nations peoples’ experience of energy systems
invest in clean energy systems to transition away from diesel usage, and improve reliability and affordability
improve the energy performance of First Nations housing
support better access to renewable energy for First Nations households.

This means improving how industry and government engage and work with First Nations communities to achieve mutual benefits . It also means recognising and celebrating First Nations people’s cultural heritage.

The supporting actions are:

raise First Nations awareness about the clean energy transition
develop toolkits and agreement resources
establish a ‘one-door’ First Nations information portal
initiate On-Country clean energy mapping and planning
provide access to expertise and advice for negotiation support
build a new best practice: dialogue series
build a new best practice: industry awards
empower First Nations collaboration to achieve improved heritage protection.

This means making sure First Nations voices are considered when developing clean energy policy and making changes to increase First Nations ownership of energy projects. It also means providing the right support for First Nations people to join the clean energy workforce and access funding for their own clean energy projects.

The supporting actions are:

Implement a First Nations clean energy business program
coordinate First Nations clean energy workforce development
improve First Nations workforce readiness
develop a First Nations clean energy job guide
embed First Nations informed program design across government clean energy programs
elevate First Nations voices in clean energy program development and decision-making
increase First Nations peoples’ access to Special Investment Vehicles
deliver needs-based funding across the project lifecycle
broker an investor forum on access to capital and equity ownership
investigate a First Nations Clean Energy and Investment Fund and new models for collaborative finance.

Background

The First Nations Clean Energy Strategy was informed by extensive public consultation undertaken throughout 2023. This included multiple meetings with a diverse range of stakeholders, including 9 roundtables held across Australia with:

First Nations peoples
state and territory governments
industry representatives
academics.

The department has regularly received advice on the Strategy from the First Nations Clean Energy and Climate Change Advisory Committee (the Committee). The Committee makes sure First Nations views are included in the clean energy transition. The Strategy is guided by a set of principles developed by the Committee.