Membership
Directorates and working groups
Discover how our members help us shape our policy and opportunities for your organisation
Bringing together industry experts and members from across the sector, these groups collaborate to identify challenges, develop practical solutions and drive action on the issues that matter most to Australia’s clean energy transition.
- Councils provide high-level guidance on whole-of-sector priorities, positioning and advocacy. They engage on the big-picture strategic and national/state issues that sit above individual Directorates. They are open to Sponsoring members only.
- Directorates are the main forum for policy engagement and advocacy, aligned to key sectors such as distributed energy and large-scale generation or cross-sectoral areas such as markets and social performance. They are open to Sponsoring, Corporate and Professional Services members.
- Leadership forums are elected by directorate members to set representative policy priorities and guide the work of directorates.
- Working groups are time-limited groups of subject matter experts convened to undertake a deep dive on specific policy, regulatory or technology issues.
Explore the groups below and contact our membership team to get involved.
Join the forums shaping industry outcomes
Our councils, directorates, leadership forums and working groups play a key role in shaping the Clean Energy Council’s policy and advocacy work.
Priorities
- Lead CEC engagement in the implementation phase of the NEM Review
- Drive reductions in time, cost and risk associated with grid connection
- Advocate for changes that make it easier for renewable and storage projects to get banked, built and connected
- Support members navigating REZ development and the Capacity Investment Scheme
- Support CEC’s advocacy on other market and grid related matters
Affiliated working groups
- Technical and operations
- VicGrid roundtable
- NEM review implementation
- Essential system services
- Mechanical energy storage
Market, Operations & Grid Directorate
Covering policy and regulatory settings for grid access, operations, transmission reform and energy market design.
policy and advocacy
Meet the Policy Lead
Martin Kennedy
GM, Market, Operations and Grid
We stand on the cusp of a transformation in how we produce and use electricity, and market operations and grid are at the heart of it. This transformation brings both challenges and opportunities that I'm thrilled to be working with our members and stakeholders, to help accelerate Australia towards its energy future.
Priorities
- Lead CEC engagement in the implementation phase of the EPBC Act reform
- Drive improvement in the assessment of bird and bat impacts through advocacy and engagement
- Advocate for changes that make it easier for renewable and storage projects to obtain planning and environment approvals
- Support members navigating REZ development and the Capacity Investment Scheme
- Support CEC’s advocacy on other environment and planning matters
Affiliated working groups
- EPBC reform
- WA planning
- Biodiversity
Large Scale Generation Directorate
Covering policy and regulatory issues affecting wind, solar, hydro and storage projects with a focus on environment laws, planning frameworks and approvals processes.
policy and advocacy
Meet the Policy Lead
Elise Rutherfurd
GM, Planning and Environment
At this critical moment in Australia’s clean energy shift, I am excited to work closely with our members and stakeholders to streamline environmental approval processes and accelerate the delivery of renewable energy projects.
Priorities
- Increase awareness and participation in VPPs
- Develop a national emergency backstop mechanism
- Shape the national CER reform priorities
- Support implementation of the National CER Technical Regulator
- Grow equal electrification opportunities
- Drive consistent implementation of dynamic operating envelopes
- Input into state CER policies to ensure national consistency
- Promote network settings for greater orchestration
Affiliated working groups
• OEMs
• Product stewardship
Distributed Energy Directorate
Covering policy and regulatory settings for consumer-led technologies including rooftop solar, batteries, inverters and EVSE to effectively integrate with the grid and support a well-functioning DER landscape.
policy and advocacy
Meet the Policy Lead
Morgan Rossiter
GM, Renewable Technology
It's an extraordinary moment for Australia's future, and I am excited to be working with our members on unlocking enormous opportunities for distributed energy resources and offshore wind in Australia.
Priorities
- Ensuring government reforms on social performance, community engagement and benefit sharing such as guidelines and codes of practice are economically viable
- Ensuring the Developer Rating Scheme is fit for purpose and delivers outcomes for participants and communities
- Analysing and responding to community concerns and developing communication assets
- Promoting the Best Practice Charter, signatory reports and CEC summary
- Sharing leading practice case studies with a view ofevolving and improving standards
Affiliated working groups
- Modern slavery
- Developer Rating Scheme
- Public liability insurance
- First Nations (to be established)
Social Performance Directorate
Covering policy and regulatory settings on social performance, benefit sharing and community engagement, working to lift industry standards and ensure projects are developed with, not just near, communities.
policy and advocacy
Meet the Policy Lead
Nathan Hart
Director, Advocacy and Community Engagement
Australia is at the pointy end of translating clean energy ambition into projects in the ground. I'm excited to work alongside our members, governments and host communities to strengthen the engagement, benefit-sharing and First Nations partnership frameworks that will define whether this transition succeeds.
Priorities
- Support development of Victorian 2GW auction and ESEM implementation
- Advocate for nationally coordinated support for establishment of Australian offshore wind industry, including for critical enabling infrastructure
- Shape National Anthropogenic Underwater Noise Guidelines to ensure fit-for-purpose
- Engage with relevant State and Federal departments (VIC, WA, OIR) to ensure suitable approvals pathways for projects
- Promote the critical role of offshore wind as part of Victoria’s energy future as part of ongoing campaigning throughout the Victorian election
Affiliated working groups
- Community engagement
- Planning and approvals
Offshore Wind Directorate
Supporting the development of Australia’s offshore wind sector through coordinated engagement across all relevant jurisdictions on planning and environment, supply chain development, market readiness and community engagement.
policy and advocacy
Meet the Policy Lead
Morgan Rossiter
GM, Renewable Technology
It's an extraordinary moment for Australia's future, and I am excited to be working with our members on unlocking enormous opportunities for distributed energy resources and offshore wind in Australia.
Sponsoring Members Councils
Sponsoring Members are invited to join two councils designed to tackle broad areas beyond the scope of individual directorates and working groups.
Policy Leadership Council
Address industry-wide issues, including investment, decarbonisation, state issues, campaigns, political engagement and workforce issues.
Communications and Media Council
Focussed on cross-sector communications and media initiatives, ensuring a cohesive approach to messaging and implementation.
Affiliated working groups
- Women in Renewables
Open Working Groups
These groups are not tied to a specific directorate and are open to anyone from the Professional Service, Corporate or Sponsoring memberships.
Become a Clean Energy Council member
As a member of the Clean Energy Council you can join our directorates and working groups, and add your voice to about 1,000 other members shaping the direction of the clean energy industry. Together, we can accelerate the energy transition and bring the benefits of renewables to all Australians.
