Raymond Terrace local, Peter Sheen Dowling, has written a great piece in the News of the Area Port Stephens, outlining why the region needs a Local Energy Hub. 

Why Port Stephens needs a Local Energy Hub

I am writing in response to the fact there has been significant misinformation published in your newspaper concerning the benefits of installing solar power, batteries and other ways to reduce family energy bills.

People living in rental accommodation are particularly badly impacted by rising energy prices. It’s clear to me that our community needs a local energy hub - a shopfrontthat community members can visit, staffed by local experts who can provide trusted information and advice to everyone from renters and first homeowners to landlords, real estate agents and property investors.

People need help to negotiate through the process. Everyone will benefit from renewable energy investment; negotiate with renewable energy developers; reduce cost of living pressures by upgrading the energy efficiency of their homes.

As a Raymond Terrace local, I have seen hundreds of homes in poorer areas of the town with no roof top solar. They must be paying extraordinarily high electricity prices. Not only are these properties poorly maintained they are not at all energy efficient. Landlords or their real estate agents would have a place to go to reduce the energy costs of their tenants.

Read the full article below.